Hermione's Choice
by Sgt. Hakeswill
Summary: Post-DH, AU. Hermione must decide what to do with her life after Ron is killed in the battle of Hogwarts. Lucius seeks to rehabilitate his reputation in a post-Voldemort world. A chance meeting eventually leads them to a common path. COMPLETE! Author formerly known as SlytherinDragoon.
1. Restless

A/N: I do not own these characters, nor do I make any profit from this story. Everything belongs to JK Rowling.  
--

In the six months since the war had ended, Hermione Granger had been at loose ends, often spending aimless hours in a haze of grief. Moments before the final victory had been won, Ron had been killed by a freak, ricocheting curse not even meant for him. Their future together had been snuffed out in the blink of an eye.

At first reacting in shocked, stunned disbelief, her life soon turned into purposeless inertia in the days following the battle. As the dust settled and others in the wizarding community began to resume the threads of their lives, Hermione could not get past her grief and move on.

Her parents had decided to remain in Australia after the war, so she'd moved into Grimmauld Place with Harry and the Weasley family. The Weasleys were living there only temporarily, as the Burrow had been heavily damaged before the final battle. Harry had invited the Weasleys to stay at Grimmauld Place while their home was being rebuilt.

At first, the presence of the Weasleys had been a comfort to her, but as time went on, the red headed family was a daily reminder of all she'd lost. And now that Harry and Ginny had officially announced their engagement, it was almost unbearable. Hermione, although happy for her friends, didn't know how she was going to bear going to their wedding the following summer. She knew that it would simply remind her that there would be no wedding for her.

Late one overcast Saturday morning, Hermione awakened to find herself alone in the bedroom she shared with Ginny when she was home from school. Feeble, grey light filtered in through the room's solitary window as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. Glancing at her watch on the nightstand, she saw that it was later than the light seemed to indicate. She wasn't surprised that she'd awakened so late, considering she'd spent half the previous night tossing and turning.

After getting out of bed, she padded over to the mirror, quickly averting her eyes after seeing the dark circles under them and frizzy, bed head hair. She pulled on a sweater and a pair of muggle jeans a few minutes later after washing up.

Molly Weasley was in the kitchen making lunch when she went downstairs a short time later.

"There you are!" Molly said, hands on hips, as Hermione entered the room. "I was beginning to think you were going to sleep away the day again."

"I had a hard time falling asleep last night," she explained, yawning. "I think the sun was coming up before I finally dropped off."

"You poor dear," Molly tutted. "I was making lunch for Arthur and Harry, but I can whip up some eggs or toast for you, if you prefer."

"No, no, don't go to any trouble," Hermione said. "I'll just have whatever you're making for them." Looking around the kitchen, she asked, "Can I help you with anything?"

"No, dear," the older woman said. "I'm almost done, anyway." Indicating a newspaper on the table, she said, "An owl dropped off the _Daily Prophet _a few minutes ago. I haven't had a chance to sit down to look at it yet. Why don't you have a seat and read the headlines to me as I finish up."

"All right," Hermione said slowly. After taking a seat to face Molly, she opened the paper and smoothed it out on the table in front of her.

"Ministry of Magic Establishes Wizarding Repopulation Department," she began, then quickly scanned the rest of the article. After a moment, she continued, "In response to the heavy casualties incurred in the war, Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt established the Repopulation Department early this morning. The new department will address methods to increase the wizarding population. New measures are expected to include financial assistance to couples, both married and unmarried, for each new wizard and witch they bring into the world." Hermione's voice trailed off after she'd read the main point of the article, thinking of the marriage that would never be.

"Pity the ministry didn't come up with something like that twenty years ago," Molly remarked, half in jest, as she set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.

"Didn't come up with what?" Arthur Weasley asked as he and Harry strolled into the kitchen.

"Read this," Hermione said, handing Arthur the paper as he took a seat beside her. "It will explain everything."

Arthur briefly read where Hermione had indicated, then said, "Oh, my. They must be desperate if they've mentioned the squib problem."

"Squib problem?" Hermione said, confused. The only squibs she'd ever heard of since entering the wizarding world had been Mr. Filch and Harry's old neighbor in Little Whinging, Mrs. Figg.

"In the last couple of generations, there has been an increasing number of squibs born to pureblooded families," he explained. "But this was something that has usually never been talked about openly in wizarding society. It's considered a shameful thing to have a squib in one's family and few purebloods will openly admit to it."

After a pause, he continued, reading the pertinent paragraph out loud, "All married wizards and witches of reproductive age are encouraged to have at least one child with someone other than their spouse. Pureblood wizards and witches are especially encouraged to choose half-blood and, particularly, muggleborn mates, in an effort to reduce the incidence of squib births." At this point, Arthur chuckled, half to himself.

"What?" Molly asked.

"I was just imagining how Lucius Malfoy will react to that last sentence," he said with a wry smile. "This will really get his ponytail into a knot."

Everyone laughed at the thought of that. After a moment, Harry put in, "Well, it's a new world now. The Malfoys of the world will just have to get used to it. He should consider himself lucky that he's not in Azkaban."

At that moment, George Weasley burst through the door, "What did I miss?" he said, taking a seat across from Hermione. "I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd pop over for a good meal for a change."

"You know the door is always open, George," Molly told him. "It's your own fault if you don't have a good meal every day." Looking at him appraisingly, "And there's plenty of room if you want to move back in."

Both George and Hermione sighed at this. In recent weeks, Molly had been on a campaign to match Hermione and George together. While Hermione appreciated that Molly meant well, she was at the same time offended; it's not as if Ron and George were interchangeable just for the fact of being brothers. She liked George, but she knew she'd never be able to put up with his tomfoolery in a relationship.

As if to confirm her suspicions, Molly turned to Hermione and said, "Why don't you go back with George to the shop after lunch? I'm sure he could use the help and it would give you something better to do than moping around here."

"I was planning to go to Flourish and Blotts today," Hermione said, seizing upon the first thing she could think of. "I'm intrigued by the squib issue and thought I'd look to see if there were any books available about it." After she'd said it, Hermione realized that this was actually a good idea. At any rate, visiting a bookstore was always a good idea; just the smell of ink and paper would lift her spirits.

George gave her a grateful look, as he wasn't any more keen on his mother's matchmaking efforts than Hermione was. He had too much to do keeping the business afloat without Fred's help to think about conducting a romance at the same time.

A few minutes later, Arthur and Harry got up to leave. "We've got to get going," Arthur said. "Harry said he'd help me this afternoon at the Burrow removing the last of the curse damage." Two weeks before, he'd been granted a leave of absence from the Ministry so that he could finally get their home back in living order.

"Don't work too hard," Molly said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I think I'll head off to Diagon Alley now, too," Hermione said, pushing back her chair. "I shouldn't be gone all that long."

"Take your time, dear," Molly said, still halfway hoping that Hermione would at least visit George's shop after the bookstore.

A couple of minutes later, Hermione apparated to Diagon Alley, glad to have some time to herself for awhile.


	2. A Chance Meeting

Hermione appeared a moment later at the apparition point just on the other side of the bricks from the Leaky Cauldron. Diagon Alley was full of activity, much as it had been the first time she'd seen it just before she began her first year at Hogwarts. The grim, somber mood that had covered the street in the last year of the war was gone, as life had returned to normal.

The young woman walked briskly to the bookstore, hoping she'd not run into anyone she knew along the way. People meant well, but she simply wasn't up to inquiries about how her life was going now that Ron was gone.

Luck was with her; she arrived at the door to Flourish and Blotts without incident. As she entered the store, she was glad to see that there were few customers inside.

Remembering that Mr Weasley had said that squibs were somewhat of a forbidden topic in general conversation, she headed to the stairs, as Flourish and Blotts kept books about controversial topics on their upper level. After a bit of searching, she finally found one book about squibs in an almost hidden corner of the store against the back wall.

"_Squibs -- a Pureblood Dilemma_ by Aloysius Cadwallader," she read out loud as she pulled it off the shelf. Opening the book to the table of contents, she began to skim the subject matter. After a few brief moments of reading, she began to frown, appalled at the misinformation she was seeing.

In a nutshell, the author believed that the existence of squibs was for two primary reasons: purebloods in previous generations who had secretly mated with muggles and then passed off such "defective" offspring as pureblood, and purebloods who lived among muggles and subjected themselves to general environmental pollution from muggles that entered the air and somehow was absorbed by purebloods, thus tainting both sperm and egg.

"Rubbish," she muttered aloud fiercely, ready to throw the book into the dustbin.

"If you are through with your literary criticism, I need to look for a book on that shelf," a haughty voice drawled behind her.

Hermione whirled around to find Lucius Malfoy directly behind her, standing so close that she threw her hands against his chest in surprise. Acting as if she'd just been burned, her hands dropped to her side, but she had nowhere to go to move away.

"M-Mr Malfoy," she said stupidly. She'd not seen the erstwhile Death Eater since the day of the final battle, when she'd seen him sitting shell-shocked with his wife and Draco after it was all over.

"Miss Granger," he said, nodding curtly, his intense grey-blue eyes boring into her. He gave the shelves behind her a swift glance, quickly determining that the book he sought was not on the shelves. After a moment, his eyes fell on the book that Hermione was still holding.

"Ah, you have the book I was seeking," he said. "I'm surprised that a mud-err-muggleborn would find such a topic to be of interest."

"On the contrary, Mr Malfoy," she replied, with a hint of exasperation in her voice. "I've always found the existence of squibs to be fascinating, considering that they are the exact wizarding opposite to being magical and muggleborn." After a moment, she continued, "After reading the article in the _Daily Prophet_ this morning, I decided to come here to learn more about the subject."

"Point conceded," he allowed grudgingly. Privately, he admitted to himself that he'd often wondered about these two polar opposite phenomena. He smirked a moment later to see the young woman obviously surprised and discomfited by his concession.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing for her to pass the book to him. "I must admit that I'm especially interested to see just what upset you so about this book."

She handed him the book and said, "It's not worth the paper it's printed on. It's full of inaccuracies and junk science."

Lucius held up one hand for her to be silent. "Just a moment. Please allow me to look for myself." He quickly skimmed the introduction and the table of contents, then turned to her. "I see nothing wrong with this book. It just states accepted common knowledge about squibs." After a pause, he added, "It certainly makes more sense than the Ministry's ludicrous proposal that purebloods take on halfblood and muggleborn mates."

"I'm guessing that Kingsley Shacklebolt must have conferred with muggle scientists before he established the Repopulation Department," Hermione told him. "The suggestions are sound ones that reflect discoveries made in the study of human heredity. I applaud him for thinking outside the box, as it's quite obvious that 'accepted common knowledge' among wizards hasn't done anything to reduce the incidence of squibs."

"Muggles," Lucius said with a hint of condescension in his voice. "No wonder it doesn't make sense. I can't imagine what muggles with no knowledge of the wizarding world could contribute to address the squib problem."

He turned and indicated a pair of easy chairs in an alcove near the shelves, meaning that they should continue their conversation there. After Hermione had seated herself, he took the chair next to her and continued, "After all, simple logic tells you that the more generations a pureblooded family has married pure, that the blood should only become more pure and the magic stronger, eventually filtering out whatever muggle residue that remains from a distant generation's indiscretions. A pureblood having children with a halfblood or a muggleborn would only serve to re-introduce non-magical elements into the blood, thus should increase the possibility of squibs and not reduce it."

"I've not had the chance to attend a muggle university, so I can't give you a detailed explanation of why it doesn't quite work that way," Hermione began, "But I've read several of my parents' texts on genetics, so I think I can give you the basics."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Throughout history, there have been different types of muggle groups who, like pureblooded wizards, will only marry and reproduce within their in-group. Such groups are defined typically by race, nationality, and religion, among other things. It's been found that the smaller the defined group is, with smaller pools of acceptable mates available, the higher the instance of children born with physical or mental handicaps or both. Also, the prevalence of certain types of diseases becomes greater in such small groups."

"The reason for this is because the smaller the marriageable group is, the more one must intermarry." she said, "Eventually, everyone in the group is a blood relative of all the others in the group, sometimes in multiple ways and degrees of closeness."

"Yes, most purebloods have some blood connection, however distant, to one another," Lucius said. "But I still don't see how this could dilute magic."

"It has to do with our genes," she said.

"Jeans?" he said, obviously confused.

Hermione sighed loudly. Malfoy's ignorance about genetics betrayed a basic flaw in wizarding education; that apart from astronomy and the chemistry involved in potions, there was a woeful lack of comprehensive education about science.

"Inside our bodies, down at the microscopic level, are the 'building blocks' of what makes each person uniquely individual" she said, trying to phrase it in such a manner that someone who was intelligent, but lacked an education in key scientific principles would understand. "These building blocks are known as chromosomes, DNA, and genes. It's rather complicated to explain exactly what each of those are and what they do, but, basically, they are the blueprints; the 'biological instructions', that go into making each person who they are and explain the difference and similarities they have with others."

After pausing a moment to see if Malfoy was following her, she continued, "Everyone has both dominant and recessive genes. A dominant gene contains a trait that is actively expressed in an individual and a recessive one is one a person carries and can pass down to offspring, but does not actively express it in themselves if it is combined with a dominant one. Genes come in various paired combinations: two dominant genes, two recessive genes, and a dominant and a recessive together, for example. When you get two recessives occurring together a trait that is normally dormant will be expressed."

"To use an example, both you and Mrs Malfoy have blond hair. which is a dominant trait in your family," she said. "Thus, you both contributed this dominant trait to Draco, who likewise has blond hair. But if you both had relatives who had dark hair, you both would have been carrying the recessive gene for that, which would have given him a small chance of being born with dark hair. And the more interrelated your families would have been in such an instance, the greater the possibility of two recessive genes meeting up would have been."

"Cadwallader had it half right," Hermione admitted. "All purebloods no doubt have ancestors who, at some point, had children with muggles. And despite however many generations removed from the fact, the recessive genes for muggle-ness are still being carried down, with the likelihood of them being expressed as squib offspring being higher the more one intermarries."

"This is the same reasoning as is behind laws that prohibit incest and why those who breed horses and dogs, for example, do not breed them too closely. As dog breeders have found that mixed breed dogs are typically hardier and more healthy that purebred ones, muggle scientists have found the same is true for humans; that the wider the gene pool, the healthier the offspring."

"What I'm telling you, of course, is overly simplified," Hermione concluded. "And, as I said before, I've not had the chance to attend a muggle university and study genetics in depth, so there might be some inaccuracy of detail. But that's essentially the gist of it."

"If that is so, it would seem to me that the reverse would also be true," Malfoy noted. "That is, a muggleborn is someone who has at least one magical ancestor on both sides of their family somewhere in their ancestry. It would seem logical, as pureblooded squibs often go to live in the muggle world once reaching adulthood, as they don't really fit into the wizarding world. It's easier for them and kinder, as they do not stand out as being handicapped among other non-magical people."

"Yes, that is quite likely," Hermione said. "I've often wondered if I've got a magical ancestor and who they were."

"I would say there is no doubt of it in your instance," he assured her. "Draco has told me of just how powerful a witch you are -- and power like that just doesn't appear out of thin air."

Hermione was sufficiently shocked by his praise of her, that she didn't quite know what to say.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Malfoy cleared his throat and said, "You've given me quite a lot to think about. Would it be possible for you to lend me those textbooks you spoke about that would explain this more in depth to me?"

Her stunned expression must have given her disbelief away, as he hurriedly continued, "I've had a lot to think about since I went to Azkaban, and since the Dark Lord was defeated. And I've begun questioning quite a few things I've always believed since childhood. I think that opening myself to different ideas about heredity might be a good place to start." With a hard look at the still flabbergasted young woman, he said, "So. Will you lend me the books or not?"

"Yes, yes, of course," she readily agreed. Professor Dumbledore had always said that nearly everyone is capable of change and redemption, and his words seemed quite true at this moment. "I'll have to pop back home to get them, if you don't mind waiting just a few minutes."

"Of course," he said. "I was going to go to the Leaky Cauldron to get a drink if you would like to meet me there with them."

"All right," she said. "I shouldn't be more than a few minutes."

After walking with the elder Malfoy to the apparition point, amid the curious glances of passersby, she quickly apparated back to Grimmauld Place.

A few moments later, she returned to find Malfoy sitting in a private alcove with a glass of wine. Sitting down awkwardly across from him, she laid two books on the table; one about core scientific principles, the other an introductory text on genetics.

"You should read the one on basic scientific principles first," Hermione said. "That will give you a background in how science is approached from the muggle perspective and will help you better understand the genetics textbook."

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said in a noncommittal tone. "I'm sure they will prove to be most interesting."

As she stood to leave, he asked, "Won't you join me for a drink?"

Obviously flustered, she nearly stammered. "Thank you for asking, but I must go. I promised Mrs Weasley that I would help her with dinner."

"Another time, then," Malfoy said. "Perhaps you will join me over dinner to discuss the books once I've finished reading them?"

"Perhaps," she replied uneasily, not quite sure of his sincerity, and suspecting a hidden agenda.

"I will owl you once I've finished and set up a time to meet then," Lucius said, considering the matter settled.

"All right," she said, turning to leave.

"Until then," he said, raising his glass to her.


	3. A Conversation

As Lucius Malfoy watched Hermoine Granger leave, he thought back to a conversation he'd had with Narcissa that morning after reading the _Daily Prophet_ over breakfast. This had merely been the latest installation in an ongoing conversation they'd been having since the Dark Lord's defeat:

_"I can't believe what I'm reading," Narcissa Malfoy said in disgust. _

_"Hmm?" Lucius said. Half-asleep, he'd not been paying much attention to his wife._

_"Look at this!" she said, extending the paper to him. "The Prophet had the nerve to publicly mention the squib problem!"_

_"And not only that!" she continued as he took the paper from her and began to read. "They're telling purebloods that they ought to have children with halfbloods and muggleborns!"_

_Lucius read the entire article before responding. Folding the paper and pushing it to the side, he faced his wife. "I know all this goes against how we both were raised, but look what our upbringing got us." Heaving a sigh, he continued, "For generations, to be a pureblood was to set a standard of magical living and showed the importance of family that that those with less sterling bloodlines looked up to and aspired to emulate."_

_After pausing a moment to sip his tea, he said, "But then my father and your father, and many others of our parents' generation got greedy. It wasn't enough for them to merely set an example for others to follow, or to be the arbiters of good taste and breeding."_

_Narcissa nodded and gestured for him to go on._

_"It may be just from the perspective of hindsight," he said, "But it's hard for me to believe that they were so taken in by that half-breed charlatan madman, Voldemort." He paused for a moment as his wife gasped to hear him speak the Dark Lord's name aloud, but then pushed on. "Yes, Voldemort -- or shall I say Tom Riddle? Can you believe that I didn't even know he was a halfbood raised in a squalid muggle orphanage until the end of Draco's fourth year? Even Harry Potter is of purer blood, as at least his mother was a witch, even if born to muggles."_

_"None of us knew his background," Narcissa admitted. "He had us all fooled. We all simply assumed that he was a pureblood, as it would make no sense for a half-blood to care about blood purity."_

_"As you know, my father insisted I become a Death Eater," Lucius said. "It wasn't enough for him that I take the proper pureblood bride of his choosing." He looked at Narcissa then, taking her hand with a small smile. "Though I'm not complaining about that part of his guidance as we've had quite a successful marriage which gave us a wonderful son."_

_"I have to admit, I wasn't happy about not being able to freely choose my own husband," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "But if I'd not obeyed my father, I'd not have you or Draco." Her smile dropped then, thinking of her late, deranged sister, Bellatrix. "But Bella was miserable with Rodolphus. She only married him because she was so stupidly fanatical about whatever the Dark Lord wanted. I still think Andromeda had it the best of all of us -- she married entirely for love and was able to raise her child free of the Dark Lord's interference. We almost lost Draco because of that madman!"_

_"When the Dark Lord disappeared after he could not kill Harry Potter, I was quite relieved," Lucius said. "Though I didn't speak openly of it to anyone for fear of reprisals from fanatics like your sister, I hoped that he was gone for good and that we could just go on with our lives, raise our son, and I could be free to build up influence in the Ministry. And, for a few years, I fooled myself into thinking that we were finally free of his control. How wrong I was!" _

_"After I got sent to Azkaban, I had plenty of time to think," he went on. "Especially after hearing about how he frightened you by using Draco to get back at me, whatever little respect I had for him was gone at that point. I realized then that nothing is more important than the well-being of one's family. I regretted not standing up to my father all those years ago and not choosing my own path like Andromeda did. Imagine the respect and influence I'd have now, if I had."_

_Narcissa took him into her arms and murmured. "You were respecting your father's authority, as we were all raised," she pointed out. "You did what you thought was the right thing at the time."_

_"By the time he broke me out of Azkaban and taken over our home, it was too late to make a clean break," he said. "I had to pretend to go along with him because I feared what he'd do to you and Draco if I didn't."_

_"I know," she said in a soft voice. "Everything you've done, you've have our welfare in mind. And you did what you could by passively resisting at the end. You didn't hurt anyone during the last battle."_

_"Nor did you," he said smiling. "Did I ever tell you what a good thing it was for you to help Potter? I think that one action saved all three of us from Azkaban."_

_"Many times," she said, smiling. "But I didn't do it just for us. I did it because I was sick and tired of the Dark Lord and it was just the right thing to do."_

_"And you weren't wrong," he admitted. "I have to admit I was surprised when Potter himself advocated that we be treated with leniency, even though it was obvious he still despises us."_

_"We may not have our good reputation any longer," she said. "But we have our lives and our freedom and reputations can be repaired."_

"Can I get you another drink, Mr Malfoy." The bartender was standing by his table and returned Lucius Malfoy's thoughts to the present.

"No, thank you," he said. "I was just getting ready to leave." As the bartender walked away and he gathered up Hermione Granger's books before returning home, he smiled to himself. Miss Granger had just given him an excellent opportunity to repair his standing in the wizarding community and he intended to take every advantage of it.

--

Hermione hoped that Mrs Weasley wouldn't be around when she apparated back to Grimmauld Place. Her mind was still focused on the conversation she'd just had with Lucius Malfoy and she didn't want the older woman's inevitably intrusive questions to break her train of thought.

The young woman had been surprised that she'd been able to have a civilized conversation with the former Death Eater. But the most amazing thing of all to her was that their conversation had given her something her life had long been missing: a challenge. As she quietly crept up the stairs to her room, successfuly evading Mrs Weasley, she realized that she'd enjoyed the verbal sparring with him. She hadn't realized how starved she'd been for intellectual stimulation until that point.

Hermione had truly loved Ron, but he'd never challenged her mind; he'd been comfortable and familiar, but he'd never been much of a deep thinker. As she closed the door to her room, she picked up a photo of him on her dresser that showed him in his Quidditch uniform. He grinned up at her, waving madly. Brushing away a tear, she sat on the bed and watched his antics in the frame for a few minutes, before returning it to its place on the dresser.

Drying her eyes, she squared her shoulders, then went downstairs to help Mrs Weasley make supper.


	4. An Invitation

The week that followed her accidental meeting with Lucius Malfoy was a busy one for Hermione. She'd had little time to mentally revisit their conversation in that time and, amazingly enough, her thoughts had turned much less often to Ron as well.

Several hours each day were devoted to studying for her N.E.W.T.s, which she was scheduled to be tested on in the spring, along with others from Ginny's and Luna's year. After the dust had settled from the last battle, Headmistress McGonagall had offered all those muggleborn and half-blood students from Hermoine's seventh year class the opportunity to either return to Hogwarts to do their seventh year over or to engage in a home-study program. Hermione had chosen the latter, as her heart had not been up to the idea of returning to Hogwarts without Ron. Minerva McGonagall had quickly approved the young woman's request, knowing that she was a self-starter when it came to her studies.

Hermione received and sent her assignments in by owl, visiting Hogwarts once a month for periodical evaluations and progress reports, and also to perform her Potions labwork with Professor Slughorn. That Saturday, Hermoine flooed to Hogsmeade, then walked to Hogwarts with Harry for such a monthly meeting.

"You've been more cheerful this week," Harry pointed out to her as they made the short trek from Hogsmeade to the gates of Hogwarts. "I'm guessing Mrs Weasley was right when she said that the passage of time helps us to bear our grief." He cleared his throat awkwardly; it had been hard for both of them to talk about their shared pain over Ron's loss.

"I finally realized that Ron wouldn't want to see me moping around forever," she said. "In fact, I can almost hear him getting on to me to about feeling sorry for myself and wasting my magical talents."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Harry agreed, who was just glad to see his friend perking up and showing glimmers of her old self again.

"After the meeting with Headmistress McGonagall and the Potions lab, I'm going to go down to the Quidditch pitch to watch Gryffindor practice, then Ginny and I are having dinner in Hogsmeade," Harry told her. "You're welcome to join us."

"Oh, no, Harry," Hermione said. "You two go ahead and have a good time. You know what they say: 'two's company and three's a crowd'." Her face flushed, feeling more than just a little envious of the happy couple. She was not at all in the mood to put on a happy face in front of them. "I've got loads of studying to do afterwards and I promised I'd help Mrs Weasley in the kitchen again."

"Ok," Harry said, secretly relieved that she'd begged off eating with him and Ginny. He hoped he'd be able to rent a room in Hogsmeade for a few hours so that he and his fiance could have some alone time together. "I'll see you later on tonight, then."

"Have a good time," Hermione said, before she rushed off to the Potions classroom, "And say hello to Ginny for me."

--

The next morning, Mrs Weasley was in rare form. She'd had everyone up cleaning Grimmauld Place from top to bottom in preparation for Christmas decorating and by lunchtime Hermione was frustrated and cross. When Molly started playing matchmaker again by suggesting she go help George with his inventory after lunch, the young woman had had it.

"Hermione, dear, why don't you go along with George after lunch and help him with filling some owl-orders," the older woman said. "Kreacher said he'd finish the rest of the housework this afternoon."

Counting to ten, so she'd not tell the woman what she was really thinking, she looked at Mr Weasley, then ventured, "I thought I'd go along with Mr Weasley to the Burrow to help him and Harry with contructing new wards for the property.

Catching her aggrieved expression and correctly guessing what had caused it, Arthur Weasley said, "Er, ah, yes -- Hermione would help the work go a bit faster, I think."

"So, it's settled," Hermione said, giving him a grateful smile.

"I don't have many owl-orders to fill this week, anyway," George assured his mother, glad for Hermione's quick thinking. "I was actually planning to take a nap this afternoon and just be lazy."

A couple of hours later, Hermione was glad she'd invited herself along with Arthur and Harry. Arthur had taught her a couple of curse-removal spells she'd not known before which could possibly come in handy in the future. She'd also placed several new wards while the men continued to prepare the site for the actual physical rebuilding of the house.

Later that night, after they'd gone home, she'd slept sounder than she had in weeks. A day of doing useful work had made her honestly tired for the first time since the end of the war.

--

On Monday morning, Hermione planned to spend most of the day studying, concentrating on Charms. At least when she was studying, Molly would leave her alone. It kept her from having to hear about what a wonderful husband George would make, and being asked whether she was interested in doing her part to help repopulate the wizarding world.

The thing was, she was interested in doing her part. She wanted to have at least one child, but she wasn't especially interested in being married any time in the near future, something she knew would be disapproved of by the older woman. And Hermione certainly didn't want someone else picking out the father of her child for her.

As she sat at the desk brooding, her books open but unseen in front of her, she heard a gentle tapping at the window. She looked up to see a white owl, waiting impatiently for her to open the window. Puzzled, she wondered who would be owling her as she walked over to the window to let the bird in.

After the owl was inside and standing on her dresser, Hermione reached for the piece of rolled-up cream-colored parchment attached to its leg. Unrolling it, she saw an unfamiliar angular script in green ink:

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_I've finished the two books you so kindly allowed me to borrow and I would greatly like to meet you to discuss the contents._

_If you are free today, we can meet at the Leaky Cauldron, then go somewhere to talk over lunch._

_Please send a reply back with my owl._

_Lucius Malfoy_

Hermione was impressed that Malfoy had even actually read the books, let alone so promptly. Grateful for a chance to get out of the house, if just for a little while, she decided to accept, her heart beating somewhat faster in anticipation. Though she knew Ron would be turning in his grave to know she was associating with Lucius Malfoy, of all people, she was truly curious about what he might have to say.

She returned to the desk, where she quickly rooted through her bookbag to find a clean piece of parchment, then sat down to write.

_Dear Mr Malfoy,_

_I would be pleased to accept your kind invitation. I will arrive at the Leaky Cauldron promptly at noon._

_Hermione Granger._

After she attached the note and released the owl to deliver the message, Hermione determined the time then went into the bathroom to check her appearance. She didn't have time to shower again, but she could at least make sure her hair was somewhat tamed.

Satisfied with her usual outfit of a sweater and muggle jeans, she quickly headed to the bedroom door. As she opened it, she caught another look of herself in the mirror and paused. On a whim, she returned to her closet and put on her "good" everyday robe over her muggle attire, then spritzed on her favorite cologne before heading out the door for real this time.

As she descended the stairs, she was disappointed to find Molly Weasley standing at the bottom, as if guarding the door.

"I was just about to call you!" she said as the young woman reached her. Noting her clothing, she said, "I didn't know you were going out. And all dressed up, too!"

"I ran into...err...Padma Patil...when I was on Diagon Alley the other day," she quickly lied. "She invited me to have lunch with her this week to discuss our N.E.W.T.s." Hermione hoped that Molly would buy this, purposely choosing a Ravenclaw, knowing that the Weasleys didn't know the Patils well. She didn't like lying to the older woman, but she knew she'd never hear the end of it if she told her she was eating lunch with Lucius Malfoy.

"You must be going to a fine restaurant dressed like that," Molly pointed out.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said. "But it's cold out today and I thought my robe would keep me warm." Heading to the door she said, "And I'm going to be late if I don't go now."

The young woman sighed with relief as she shut the door behind her and apparated away. Hermione appreciated that the Weasleys were looking out of her, but Molly's hovering was suffocating her. She knew that once she had her N.E.W.T.s in hand, she'd have to get a job quickly and move out on her own.

A/N Thanks to all my reviewers. Your feedback is much appreciated and what keeps me writing!


	5. A Meeting or a Date?

As Hermione entered the Leaky Cauldron, she spied Lucius Malfoy sitting alone at a booth in the back corner. As if sensing her presence, he looked up, then beckoned her over.

When she'd reached the table, Lucius noted her robe in approval. He believed it much more becoming and proper for a witch of her caliber than the scruffy muggle clothing she normally wore. The pureblood wizard was of the opinion that if muggleborns really wanted to be fully accepted in the wizarding world, that they should more fully embrace wizarding culture and leave such obvious trappings of muggle culture behind, particularly in public.

As he caught a whiff of the delicate floral cologne she wore, he smirked to himself, knowing she'd taken more care with her appearance just for his benefit.

"Thank you for meeting me here on such short notice," Malfoy said, as she seated herself opposite him.

"I didn't have anything to do today that couldn't be put off," she explained briefly. "I was glad for an excuse to get out of the house."

"I imagine that living with Molly Weasley can be a trial," he observed astutely with the barest glimmer of a grin on his face. "I can still remember her bossiness as a Prefect when I was a first-year at Hogwarts."

"Err...yes," she admitted, feeling vaguely guilty for not rushing to Mrs Weasley's defense in the presence of a Weasley family foe. After all, the truth was the truth; there was no point in denying that Molly was a lot more intrusive than Hermione felt comfortable with.

Lucius chuckled briefly, but then let the matter rest. "So." he said, "Where would you like to eat?"

"I thought we were going to eat here," Hermione said.

"We could," he replied. "But I thought it would be better to find somewhere more comfortable where we can have a conversation without people listening in." He made a brief gesture to the barman who was not-so-subtly trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"You're right," she said. "But I imagine anywhere in Diagon Alley would attract some attention." After thinking for a moment, she said, "Why don't we...no, that's a silly idea."

"What?" he asked, curious.

"I thought we could find a restaurant in muggle London," she said hesitantly. "No one would pay us any mind there." After a beat, she concluded, "But I'm guessing you wouldn't think that's a good idea."

"On the contrary, Miss Granger," he said. "You might find it interesting to know that I've been on the muggle side quite a few times and it is indeed a good place to go when seeking privacy."

The young woman raised an eyebrow, remembering the stories of Death Eaters torturing muggles just for fun. "You mean when you and your cronies went on muggle baiting raids?"

"Actually, no," he replied, entirely unruffled. "My trips to muggle London were always alone and I went precisely because I needed a break from those thugs and their blind worship of the Dark Lord. I'd go to clear my head and would usually take long walks in a park where I'd not be recognized. My interactions with muggles were minimal, at most." He thought it best not to mention the one night stands he'd occasionally had with muggle women, picked up in bars, usually engaged in after Voldemort had compelled him to do things he found especially distasteful.

She looked at him with wide eyes; Lucius Malfoy was certainly a man of surprises.

Standing up, he said, "So, shall we go, then?"

"I thought we might try a place I used to go to with my parents, if you like," she said. "It's quiet and comfortable, perfect for lingering over conversation."

"I'll trust your judgment," Lucius said. "I'll need to exchange some galleons for muggle money, then." Walking over to the bar, he murmured a few words to the bartender, who then reached under the bar for a large cashbox. The man quickly handed him a stack of muggle pounds in exchange for the galleons. That done, the couple started to leave. As they neared the door that was the exit into muggle London, he said, "We'd best transfigure our clothing before we go out."

"That would be best," she agreed. "We should wear casual clothing for the cafe I have in mind."

Hermione paused as Lucius transfigured his clothing; most purebloods had no clue about appropriate muggle attire and she was curious about what kind of a getup he'd create for himself. An instant later, Malfoy's dark robe was gone, replaced by a pair of snug muggle jeans, a black t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Noticing her intent scrutiny, he asked, "What did you expect? Water wings and a ballerina tutu?"

Hermione laughed. "I should have known that a Malfoy always know how to dress."

"Of course," he said with a satisfied smirk. Looking at her, he said, "Would you like me to do the honors?"

"All right," Hermione said warily.

With a wave of his wand, he changed Hermione's robe into a replica of the leather jacket he was wearing, which went well with the muggle clothing she'd been wearing underneath. Offering her his arm, he asked, "Shall we go?"

"By all means."

A few moments later, Hermione Granger and Lucius Malfoy were walking down a sidewalk in muggle London. Six months earlier, if someone told Hermione what she'd be doing today, she would have thought them a prime candidate for St. Mungo's in a bed right next to Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Is it very far?" Lucius asked. "Do we need to take that underground train or can we walk?"

"It's only a couple of blocks over," she replied. "We can walk."

"Excellent," he said. "A brisk walk should stimulate our appetites.

Ten minutes later, the two walked in the door of a cozy, intimate cafe, which was furnished in comfortably plush booths. After they took a booth in the back, Hermione said, "People come here mainly just for tea or coffee, but they serve good soup and sandwiches, and have excellent pastries and other desserts. Plus, it's a good place to talk privately. No one will bother us while we're here."

"I'll take your word on it, Miss Granger," Malfoy said, as he looked around the room appraisingly.

After they'd finished their meal of soup and sandwiches, Malfoy set the two books on the table as they waited for their dessert of assorted French pastries.

"The first thing I'd like to say is that I think the squib problem is no doubt caused by factors described by these muggle scientists. I now concur that the Ministry was wise to incorporate their ideas to address the squib problem and general repopulation efforts."

Before Hermione could respond, he continued, "But I found something in the genetics textbook that was rather fascinating, to say the least. It seems as if muggles are not quite as innocent when it comes to the idea of promoting a pureblooded population and that some muggles have considered other types of muggles to be their own version of mudbloods."

"What are you banging on about?" Hermione demanded, a touch miffed.

"Why, eugenics, of course," Malfoy said. "And it wasn't just Grindelwald's toady, Hitler, who was promoting such an idea. It seems our noble British muggles and their esteemed American colleagues accepted the idea that some muggles were naturally better than others, and took measures to limit the reproduction of so-called "undesirables", even if they didn't go as far as Hitler. They practiced forced sterilizations of thousands of these undesirables and miscegenation laws were passed so that the self-proclaimed muggle purebloods would not dilute their blood with these same designated undesirables. It would seem that the self-righteous attitude that many muggleborns and half-bloods have toward traditional wizarding pureblood beliefs is a tad hypocritical, wouldn't you say?"

"You're right, of course," Hermione conceded, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture. "But it just goes to show that muggles and wizards are not so different, after all. We're all prone to making the same kinds of mistakes." With a bit more confidence, she concluded, "And muggles, for the most part, have recognized the error of such ideas and have been taking steps to change things for the last fifty years or so. It's time for the wizarding world to do so as well."

"Perhaps," Malfoy agreed noncommittally. "I would like to read more about this topic."

"There's a good bookstore just down the street, if you'd like to go," she said. "I would also recommend some books on other topics, particularly muggle history and achievements."

"Muggle achievements?" he asked. "What does that have to do with the Ministry's repopulation program?"

"Well, to fully accept the idea of purebloods having children with muggleborns, one should have a better understanding of how muggles live, so that these unions can be based on true respect for one another," she patiently explained. "Because muggles have never had magic to help them do the necessary tasks in life, they've had to be creative and employ ingenuity in thinking of simpler ways to do things without magic. They had to start from scratch, with nothing, starting with simple ideas and technology, then using each new advance as a building block to the next. Muggles are now at the point where they have technology to do many of the same things we do with magic -- and sometimes far more easily -- such as using cell phones and computers rather than owls. And in some instances, muggles have done things that wizards have yet to do, such as visiting the moon and maintaining a space station in Earth orbit." Taking a deep breath, she concluded, "Muggles and wizards have much to teach one another, both in love and in life."

"Indeed," he replied, looking at her appraisingly. "It seems as if you have much to teach me."

Hermione didn't know what to say as it dawned on her that Lucius Malfoy, of all people, was flirting with her.

Breaking the silence, Lucius changed the subject. "So, what have you been doing with your time since the end of the war?" he asked smoothly. "And please allow me to express my condolences on the loss of young Mr. Weasley. I understand that you and he were on the verge of bethrothal at the time of his unfortunate death?"

"Do you really mean that?" she whispered. "I know that there is no love lost between you and the Weasleys."

"That's true," he admitted. "Our mutual dislike goes back many years for reasons on both sides that I won't get into here. But that doesn't prevent me from feeling sorrow when two young lovers are parted from one another."

She decided to accept his sympathy at face value. "Then I accept your sympathy," she said quietly. "It's been quite hard these last few months, I must admit. And I have to say that Mrs Weasley hasn't been much help in this matter. Can you believe that she's trying to foist George off on me, as if the two brothers were interchangeable!"

"And I'd say that George Weasley is even less suited to you than his brother was," he observed. Noticing Hermione's eyes begin to flash with irritation at the implied slight of Ron, he hurried to say, "It's not a criticism of Ronald, but rather that you and he seemed mismatched with different interests and goals."

"How would you know?" she demanded.

"People talk," he said. "And Draco repeated much of what he heard to me. You are intelligent and need mental stimulation and challenge, whereas young Mr Weasley was an easy-going fellow mainly interested in Quidditch. There is nothing wrong with either of your interests or personalities, except that they don't make a good match together." Smiling slightly, he continued, "It was the same with Draco and Pansy Parkinson -- they have little in common to make a good match together."

"But..." she started, then became silent as she realized that Lucius Malfoy only spoke the truth.

"You know I'm right," he insisted

"Yes, but I feel so disloyal admitting it," she said. "I did care a great deal about him."

"Of course," he said. "But there's no shame in facing up to reality." Pausing a moment, he observed, "You didn't go back to Hogwarts to re-do your seventh year. I hope you're on a home study program for your N.E.W.Ts. It would be a shame to let a mind such as yours go to waste."

Glad to be on more comfortable territory, she replied, "Oh, yes, I've got a full study schedule, plus I visit Hogwarts once a month for tests and new assignments. It keeps me busy, plus it gets me away from Mrs Weasley's matchmaking!"

"You're not interested in getting married and having children?" he asked, with one eyebrow raised.

"I do want to have children," she admitted. "But I'm not really interested in getting married. I was already beginning to have doubts about getting married even before Ron died." A moment later, she continued, "I'm thinking that if he'd not died that I might have ended up getting cold feet and not marrying him, anyway. I rather like my independence and being able to come and go as I please."

"Interesting," Malfoy said, the wheels turning in his head.

"And I think as soon as I finish my N.E.W.Ts and get some sort of a job, that I'll be moving out on my own," she told him. "I appreciate all that the Weasleys have done for me, but I don't want them running my life either." After a pause, she laughed quietly.

"What?"

"It's funny, but I feel so comfortable talking with you, of all people," she said. "If Harry or the Weasleys knew I was confiding in Lucius Malfoy, they'd be hauling me off to St. Mungo's to get my head examined."

"It's not so strange," he said. "Sometimes, someone removed from the events can be more objective than someone who is involved in them." Looking into her eyes, he said in a low voice, "And I think we both challenge one another, which is rather refreshing."

"You're right," she acknowledged.

"Shall we go to the bookstore now," he suggested.

"Yes, let's."

After Lucius paid the bill, the two walked down a block to the WH Smith booksellers. Lucius was impressed by the size and organization of the store, which made Flourish and Blotts look like a hole in the wall.

Hermione chose several books for herself, then assisted Lucius with choosing several books: a few more on genetics and related topics, a general history of muggle Britain, a book on the history of muggle technology, and one on the American space program. After they'd left the store, each discreetly reduced the size of their books, then put the reduced books into their pockets.

All too soon, they were back inside the Leaky Cauldron to go their separate ways.

"I enjoyed myself," Hermione told Lucius. "Thank you for a fine afternoon."

"You are quite welcome," he said, with a genuine smile on his face, an expression she thought she'd never see on Lucius Malfoy's face. "I have to admit that you are excellent company."

"I feel the same way about you." she said, with a blush spreading across her face.

Without warning, he stepped forward and took Hermione into his arms, then bent to kiss her. His arms tightening around her, his tongue touched her lips, seeking to deepen the kiss.

Hermione, acting upon instinct, opened her mouth slightly to admit his tongue, which gently explored her mouth and danced with her tongue.

"Mmm," she murmured, as her arms went around his waist, almost swooning with the passion he aroused in her.

All too soon it was over. Breaking the kiss, he murmured, "I'll owl you soon," then disapparated without another word.

After a moment to gather her wits, Hermione disapparated, too.

--

As always, I appreciate my reviewers. Keep the reviews coming!


	6. Reflections and Revelations

Hermione went directly to her bedroom as soon as she'd arrived back at Grimmauld Place. No one was around when she came through the door, thankfully, as she was certain the look on her face would have prompted Molly Weasley to ask several unwanted questions about how she'd spent the afternoon.

As soon as she'd closed the door to her room behind her, she took the reduced books from the jacket Lucius had transfigured for her and returned them to their normal size. After placing them on the desk near her schoolbooks, she changed the jacket back into a robe, then hung it carefully in the closet, noting that the scent of Lucius' cologne still hung on the transfigured robe. She paused and took a deep sniff of his scent before closing the closet door.

She looked at her schoolbooks waiting on the table, then put aside the idea of doing any studying right then. Instead, she sat on the bed to think of what had just happened moments before.

Hermione's first reaction when Lucius' lips first found hers was to pull away, but she couldn't summon the will to do so. She hadn't realized just how attracted to him she was until he'd kissed her. Oh, she'd always secretly found him handsome, but never thought there was anything more to it than that. After all, he was a Death Eater, thus, the enemy.

But once he began kissing her, she went weak in the knees, not wanting it to end. Hermione had only been kissed by two others, Viktor Krum and Ron, and she had to admit that Lucius was a much better kisser than either of the two. Ron, especially, was an inept kisser, his kisses wet and slobbery. Hermione shuddered in distaste in the memory of the few times she and Ron had had the time and privacy to engage in snogging. Lucius, on the other hand, had made her hungry for more.

It also came largely as a surprise to find that he was attracted to her as well. As she sat there analyzing their interactions, it suddenly dawned on her that the signs had been there all along if she'd taken the time to notice. The realization came to her that all this discussion about the Wizarding Repopulation Ministry and its recommendation that purebloods have children with muggleborns had likely not been just an intellectual exercise for Lucius Malfoy. She trembled at the idea that it was quite likely he was considering her for a "consort" relationship, as the Ministry was now calling unmarried and extramarital relationships for the purpose of having children.

Hermione stood and went to the dresser to get Ron's picture. As before, he started waving madly at her with a goofy grin on his face when she picked up the picture. She smiled at him wistfully, remembering all the good times they'd had together. The young woman knew that he would be whirling in his grave to know what had happened between her and Lucius Malfoy.

As she stood there looking at Ron's picture, she realized that she was actually seriously considering the idea of becoming the consort of Lucius Malfoy. It had come as a surprise to her that she _liked_ Lucius quite a bit and that the notion of being his consort was not at all unpleasant.

But she couldn't completely forget about his years as a Death Eater, particularly the incident in her second year when he'd foisted off Voldemort's diary on Ginny, the consequences of which had almost caused her death. She would have to hear his side of the story before she would even consider continuing any sort of association with him.

--

"Is that you, Lucius?" Narcissa Malfoy called out when she heard the umistakable "pop" of apparition. She smiled in greeting as her husband entered the library where she was enjoying a cup of tea.

Giving her a kiss as he joined her on the sofa, Lucius said without preamble, "I've got something I need to discuss with you."

"Is something wrong?" she asked, noting his serious expression. "Draco is all right, isn't he?"

"Draco is fine, as far as I know," he assured her. "And nothing is wrong." After pausing to pour a cup of tea for himself, he continued, "Do you remember us discussing the new Wizarding Repopulation Department about a week or so ago?"

"Yes, how could I forget?" she replied.

"I've been giving it quite some thought since that time, especially the recommendation about pureblood wizards having at least one child with a muggleborn."

"Yes?" she inquired, her voice having taken on a slightly sharp note. She knew her husband well and had a good idea where he was going with this.

"I've decided to do what the Ministry suggests," Lucius said. "That is, I intend to enter into a consort relationship with a muggleborn witch."

"Go on," she said, frowning.

"You can't have any more children, so you and I cannot contribute together to the repopulation effort," he continued. "Plus, I thought taking a muggleborn mate would be a good way to show the powers that be that I've truly turned over a new leaf and left my Death Eater days behind me. I estimate that having a child or two with a muggleborn will help me regain my influence within the Ministry much quicker than I could have otherwise." Taking a deep breath, he concluded, "And if I sire a few half-blood children, that will take the focus off Draco and he can take a pureblooded wife, just as we'd always planned for him."

Narcissa didn't say anything, but merely sat there for a few moments considering what her husband had just told her.

"I would like to have your blessing for this," he finally said. "Things will go much more smoothly if you approve."

She knew that Lucius taking a muggleborn consort was a _fait accompli_, and that telling her about it first was only a courtesy on his part. Lucius had been a good husband to her and a devoted father to Draco, but he'd never been strictly faithful to her. He'd never rubbed his dalliances in her face; rather, it was more of a "don't ask, don't tell" situation between them.

But this was something different. A consort relationship, newly established by the ministry, would be one that would be conducted in the open and would be legally and socially recognized in the wizarding community.

After a long pause, she finally said, "I know I cannot stop you from doing this, and I do understand that it could potentially benefit me, and Draco as well, in the long run." Taking his hand in her own, she looked into his eyes and said, "So, yes, I will give my conditional approval."

"And those conditions are?" he demanded

"First, you will provide a home for her elsewhere," Narcissa told him. "I am the mistress of Malfoy Manor and as long as I live, no other woman will share that title with me." Thinking for a moment, she continued. "I expect Draco will continue to receive your attention and guidance for as long as he needs it, no matter how many other children you have."

"Have I ever not taken care of his every need?" he asked.

"You've been an exemplary father," she agreed. "Just continue to be."

"Those conditions are reasonable," he said. "Are there any more?"

"I've been considering starting an orphanage for magical children," Narcissa said. "I've been talking to Andromeda for the last few weeks and it's something we want to do together. Since she's been raising Nymphadora's son, it's something she's wanted to do and I thought it would be a good way for us to make up for all the lost years since she married Ted Tonks. And it would be my way to contribute to the good of the wizarding world by making sure these children have a good start in life."

"That's a good idea," Lucius said. "Feel free to contribute as much money as you find appropriate."

"I intend to donate my time as well," she told him.

"I have no problem with that," he said. "Your volunteering will also go a long way in repairing our standing in the wizarding community. I approve with no reservations whatsoever." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek to emphasize his point.

"Do you have any particular witch in mind?" Narcissa asked, returning to the original topic, already anticipating an affirmative answer. In all the years of their marriage, Lucius had never told her anything until he'd completely thought it through and had all his ducks in a row.

"Yes," he replied briefly. "Hermione Granger."

Noting his wife's shocked expression, he continued, "I've met with her a couple of times already to get a sense of her personality and likely receptivity to my plan. She's extremely intelligent and personable, and we seem suited so far. Also, she's in a vulnerable position at the present time, having lost her intended in the war and feeling rather misplaced. Miss Granger even admitted that she's at odds with Molly Weasley, which has made her living situation strained at best." After a low chuckle, he said, "I'd say she's prime for the plucking."

"I can just imagine what Draco will think of this," Narcissa pointed out. "I don't think he will greet it as good news."

"Draco will get used to the idea," Lucius insisted.

"When do you plan to tell him," she asked.

"If Miss Granger accepts my proposal, as I suspect she will, I will take her with me to America to tell Draco in person," he said. "It will also provide her and I time to get to know one another better and she'll hopefully conceive before we return to England."

"When do you plan to make your proposal to her?" Narcissa asked.

"I will give her a day or two to think about the conversations we had today," he said. "I dropped several hints without coming right out and declaring my intentions openly. She's a smart girl; the more she thinks about what happened today, the more likely she'll realize the nature of my interest in her." Taking Narcissa's hand, he stood up and said with a suggestive smile on his face, "Now, enough about that for one night. Let's go to bed."

Narcissa stood and followed her husband without a word.

--  
A/N: I based the "consort" idea loosely on a Star Trek: the Next Generation episode, "Up the Long Ladder". On a planet needing to quickly improve its gene pool as well as increase the population, the Enterprise's Dr Pulaski recommended that each woman have three husbands. I adapted this idea to my story, but allowed both witches and wizards to have at least two mates.

A/N: Again, many thanks to my loyal readers. Your support keeps me writing.


	7. A Proposal

Two days later, Lucius Malfoy's owl appeared at Hermione's bedroom window again as she stood at the mirror combing her hair.

After she'd let the bird in and took the scrolled parchment from his leg, she sat down on the bed to read the note:

_Hermione,_

_I have a matter of some importance to discuss with you._

_Noon at the Leaky Cauldron?_

_Send your reply back with my owl._

_Lucius._

Hermione inhaled sharply after reading Malfoy's note. She had a very good idea of what the "important matter" was that he wanted to discuss. Walking over to her closet, she extracted the same robe she'd worn the other day, and prepared to leave.

She hastily scribbled a note to Lucius and after releasing his owl to deliver it to him, she wrote another note to Molly, advising her that she'd gone to Flourish and Blotts again to get a book she needed for an class assignment. Molly had gone with Arthur and Harry to the Burrow for the day to make an inventory of things they'd need for the rebuilt house, so she'd not have to deal with her at the door.

Fifteen minutes later, she arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, twenty minutes earlier than Lucius specified. After getting a bowl of stew and a plate of crackers from the barman, she carried them to a booth and sat down. She'd not eaten yet that day and wanted to make sure she had a full stomach before listening to what Lucius had to say.

Shortly after she'd finished her stew, Lucius arrived.

"Ah, Hermione," he said with the barest hint of a grin on his face. "Early, I see."

"I couldn't wait until lunchtime to eat," she explained.

"Allow me to get dessert, then," he said. "Would chocolate cake suit you?"

"That would be nice."

A short time later, after they'd both finished their desserts, Lucius said, "Now, on to what I asked you here to talk about."

After casting the _Muffliato_ spell, so they could talk privately, Lucius turned to Hermione and said, "I have a proposal for you. It's something I've given a lot of thought to, so please don't respond until you've heard me out."

"All right," she said slowly. "I'm listening."

"I wish to enter into a consort relationship with you," he stated, getting straight to the point. "Ever since reading the article about the repopulation plans the Ministry is promoting in the _Daily Prophet_, I've been considering following their advice and doing my part." He paused to take a sip of his tea, then continued, "I did not have any specific witch in mind at first, but after meeting you by accident that one day, then seeing you again the other day, I've realized that you are the perfect choice."

Hermione opened her mouth as if to respond, but Lucius went on, "You're very intelligent, a good conversationalist, and, most of all, you're challenging and you stimulate my mind." Taking her hands in his, he said, "And I must admit I find you quite attractive. I believe you'd make an excellent mother for my chilren."

"I don't quite know what to say," Hermione said. "This is quite a turnaround from the previous things I've heard that you've said about us...mudbloods."

"I must admit that you're nothing like what I was brought up to believe about muggleborns," he said. "I have to say that I've never really taken the time to actually get to know one." Sighing loudly, he continued, "But during my time in Azkaban and especially since the end of the war, I've had occasion to question quite a few of the assumptions I was brought up to believe."

"You've been quite a surprise to me, too," Hermione admitted. "You've been a refreshing challenge to me as well and I hadn't realized how much I missed that until you and I met." Lowering her voice, she added shyly, "And I find you rather handsome, myself."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I'll tell you that I will seriously consider accepting your proposal, but there are a few things bothering me that I'd like to have cleared up before I could accept."

"What would you like to know?" he asked.

"I have a couple of concerns," she said. "The first has nothing to do with our differing blood statuses. I know you don't love me, nor do I love you, but even though I'm not looking for a husband, I've always thought that two people should be in love if they're going to have children together and be good parents."

"I will admit that I'm not in love," he said. "But neither did I love Narcissa when we first got married. We got married mainly because our parents expected us to. But once we had Draco, love grew between us, born of respect and shared experience."

"And that's another thing!" she said. "You're married! What does your wife think about all of this? Or have you even told her?" Taking a deep breath, "Assuming that you intend to remain married, what does that mean for me?"

"First of all, I did talk this over with Narcissa and she's given her approval," he told her. "She understands that these are desperate circumstances for the wizarding community and that we must do as the ministry suggests and reconsider the usual sensibilities we have about love and marriage for the greater good."

"Secondly, you'd mentioned that you wanted to have a child, but you did not want to be married; that you wanted to maintain your independence. I know that you like me and you're attracted to me, so a consort relationship would fit our needs perfectly."

Lifting her hand, he placed a kiss on the underside of her wrist. "I enjoy being with you and I've grown to respect you. And I suspect that we would grow to care for one another over time," he told her. "As my consort, you'd be under my protection and you and any children we would have would be supported at the same level of comfort that I provide for Narcissa and Draco. Our children would want for nothing, and I would be an involved father -- you are quite free to ask Draco about what kind of a father I was to him, if that would ease your concerns. And you would be free to pursue whatever intellectual and vocational interests you desired, without having to worry if Harry Potter and Molly Weasley approved of it."

"You've given me quite a lot to think about," she said. "But what bothers me more is the thought of you being a Death Eater. You're not at all what I expected either -- I never thought I could like or have anything in common with a follower of Voldemort. You're an intelligent man, so I have to ask how in the world could you have gotten involved with such a madman in the first place. He destroyed the lives of many pureblood families, as well as those of muggles and muggleborns. He wasn't even pureblooded himself and I just don't get how so many people could follow him so blindly."

"It's rather complicated, especially for those not raised in pureblooded society, but I'll explain as best as I can," he said. "First of all, in pureblooded families, family is everything and children are brought up to respect and obey their elders' wishes in the name of family unity."

After a pause, he continued, "In ancient times, wizards and muggles lived side by side, with muggles knowing that wizards, witches, and magic existed, though they had no understanding of it. And, as is frequently the case, they learned to fear and hate what they didn't understand and there was wholesale persecution of magical people born of this fear."

"At the time Hogwarts was founded, this persecution was at a fever pitch, and it was Salazar Slytherin's contention that magical people needed to separate themselves completely from the muggle world for our own protection," he continued. "The emphasis on the importance of blood purity grew from this desire to protect the wizarding population from persecution. He felt that allowing muggleborns into the wizarding world, along with the intermarriages of magical people with muggles, would inevitably lead to more persecution. It was thought it would be impossible to maintain a separate wizarding society if muggles remained aware of our world through family ties. Salazar Slytherin didn't want to slaughter muggles, but neither did he want them or anyone with ties to them in the wizarding world."

Before she could respond, he held up a hand to let her know he wasn't finished yet.

"As you know, the other three founders didn't agree with Slytherin, believing his fears unfounded. Their view prevailed, so for centuries, the role of purebloods in wizarding society was simply to set a good example for half-blood and muggleborn wizards to follow; to be the arbiters of wizarding culture and good taste. Dark wizards came and went over the years, each time gathering followers, but, for the most part, did not serious affect wizarding society."

"During my father's childhood and that of the parents of most of the followers of the Dark Lord of my generation, Grindelwald was active and he had a great effect among purebloods here in England as well as on the continent. Voldemort -- Tom Riddle -- was of the same generation as my father, and he was likewise influenced by Grindelwald and, as you well know, started his own campaign for power after Grindelwald's fall. At the same time, Armando Dippet, a Hufflepuff who tried to be fair to all Houses, died and Dumbledore succeeded him, and proceeded to run Hogwarts with a pronounced bias in favor of Gryffindor over the other three Houses, especially Slytherin.

Hermione listened patiently, knowing that Lucius was simply giving her background information before making his ultimate point.

"My father went to Hogwarts at the same time as Tom Riddle, where they were both, of course, in Slytherin," Lucius said. "When Riddle became Voldemort, those who had been in Slytherin with him were his first converts, my father among them. So, by the time I started at Hogwarts, my father had been one of Voldemort's followers for years."

"Go on," Hermione encouraged.

"Most pureblooded fathers expect their sons to follow in their footsteps and mine was no exception," he said. "We are expected to take pureblooded spouses, usually of our parents' choosing and to obey our fathers' wishes in every aspect. To refuse to go along was to risk being disowned and shunned by one's own family. Consequently, few purebloods openly rebel and simply go along to get along."

"Sirius Black rebelled," Hermione pointed out.

"And he paid the price," Lucius countered. "He lost his entire family, he never married or had children, or even an occupation. If not for Harry Potter, he would have died alone."

Hermione did not reply, knowing Lucius had a point.

"So, when my father brought me to Voldemort to get the Dark Mark after I graduated from Hogwarts, I didn't rebel," he said. "I became a Death Eater like my father wanted, and I married Narcissa like both our sets of parents wanted. I wasn't really interested in being a Death Eater, as I thought most of them were low class thugs, but I wanted to please my father. And, as the years went by, it was simply easier to go with the flow and not make any waves. For years, it wasn't too hard, as Voldemort was more talk than action back when I first started."

Heaving a big sigh, he concluded, "It got more difficult to go along with it once he stopped talking so much and starting acting on his words, but it was too late by then. Anyone who had second thoughts and tried to walk away from it usually met a sticky end, many times, along with their families. After the Dark Lord nearly destroyed himself trying to kill Potter as a baby, I hoped he was gone for good and that I could just go on with my life, raise my son, and be free to build up influence in the Ministry. And, for a few years, I fooled myself into thinking that I was finally free of his control."

"There are a few more questions I must ask of you," Hermione said hesitantly. "I was in Flourish and Blotts that day just before my second year when you and Mr Weasley got into a fight and when you stuck Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny's cauldron. Did you know how dangerous that diary was and did you intend for Ginny to be killed? And did you intend to open the Chamber of Secrets and release the basilisk to kill muggleborns?"

"No, I had no idea," he said firmly. "My father died around that time, and I was trying to get rid of anything that would connect me to Voldemort. I sold a lot of the artifacts that could link me to him that I found among my father's things after he'd died. I sold a lot at Borgin and Burkes, on the same day of my confrontation with Arthur Weasley in Flourish and Blotts. Borgin took everything except for that bloody diary that the Dark Lord had given me for safekeeping. I was so desperate to get rid of it that when I saw the entire Weasley clan buying schoolbooks in Flourish and Blotts, I stuffed it inside the Weasley girl's cauldron on a whim. I figured if I couldn't sell it, I could at least embarrass Arthur Weasley with it, imagining how he would explain his daughter being in possession of something belonging to a dark wizard."

"I had no idea what its true nature was, nor would I have passed it to the Weasley girl if I'd known how dangerous it was," he said. "The Weasleys may be blood traitors, but they are purebloods, and I'm no child killer. I was furious then because Riddle never explained to me just what the diary was and for making me look like a murderer of children, which nearly cost me my reputation and position with the ministry."

Hermione could see the truth of his words in his eyes. Reaching out, she put her hand over his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I believe you," she said softly. "And that's what I needed to know."

"So, now that I've answered the questions to your satisfaction, does that mean you agree to my proposal?" he asked.

"I'm leaning in that direction," she admitted. "But it's such a big decision that I need to sleep on it and think about it some more."

"That's understandable," he conceded.

"I promise I'll give you my answer in a day or two," she told him. Standing up, she said, "I've got to go now. I need to get some homework done today -- if I can concentrate on it!"

"Let me walk you to the apparition point, then," Lucius said.

A couple of minutes later, they stood on the opposite side of the bricks from the Leaky Cauldron. This time, Hermione was not surprised when Lucius took her into his arms and gave her a lingering, passionate kiss.

"Owl me soon with your answer," he breathed into her ear after the kiss ended.

"I promise," she said softly, her head leaning against his chest. "Until then."

--

A/N: Dumbledore told Harry that he didn't believe that Lucius knew the true nature of the diary and gave it to Ginny as a way to embarrass Arthur Weasley -- HBP, Chapter 23, p.508

Thanks for the reviews and ideas. Keep 'em coming.


	8. A Decision

Early the next morning, Hermione was jolted awake by a noise that sounded as if Crookshanks had gotten his leg caught in the door. Looking down, she saw her cat still lying in bed with her, so it wasn't that.

"..._and my cauldron is empty without your wand to stir my looooooove..."_

As she sat up, rubbing her eyes, she grumbled to herself, "Celestina Warbeck! Why does she insist on playing that effing godawful caterwauling this early in the morning!"

Still grousing, she got out of bed, stepped into her slippers, then went to see what in the hell Molly Weasley was doing rambling around upstairs so early in the morning listening to Celestina Warbeck.

Walking to the spare bedroom across the hall, she found Mrs Weasley, still in her ratty paisley housecoat, in the midst of cleaning the room. Kreacher stood unhappily beside her, with carrots stuffed in his ears, in order to muffle the cacophony that was still emitting from the wizarding wireless set sitting on top of the dresser.

"Good to see that you're up," the older woman said, not bothering to turn off the music. "Charlie owled and said he'd be arriving later today. He decided to come spend Christmas at home, after all. He'll be here a whole month!" Not waiting for Hermione to reply, she continued, "And Ginny will be coming home for Christmas break on the train this afternoon! I'd appreciate if you could tidy up your room, so it will be nice and fresh when she arrives."

"Of course," Hermione murmured, still feeling more than a little put out at having been awakened by the off-key screeching of Celestina Warbeck. As she walked back to her room, she heaved a loud sigh. She'd become accustomed to having a room all to herself these last few months and wasn't really thrilled about sharing again. But it was only for a month, so she'd just grin and bear it.

--

Charlie Weasley arrived at Grimmauld Place just before lunchtime. Hermione was already seated at the table with Harry and Arthur, and Molly was about to sit down, when Charlie casually strolled through the door.

"I guess I got here just in time," Charlie said, grinning, as he walked over to hug his mother. "This lot would have had it all eaten if I'd been five minutes later."

"Charlie!" Molly exclaimed. "I didn't expect you until late this afternoon."

"I can go out and come back later if you like," he teased.

"Not on your life," Molly said. Pointing her wand to make a place setting appear in front of the empty chair next to Hermione, she urged, "Have a seat."

Charlie seated himself next to Hermione, but before he could say anything to her, Molly served up the meal and everyone started eating.

After a few moments, Arthur asked Charlie, "I'm surprised you were able to get a whole month away from the dragons. Did your boss give you much trouble when you asked for a leave of absence?"

"No," he said. "Two apprentices just became fully certified dragon trainers, so they will both be covering for me while I'm gone."

"I wish you'd get a job here in England," Molly put in. "You've been in Romania so long."

"I went there because that's where the dragon preserve is," he said. "If there had been one here in England, I'd have stayed here."

"It's not as if one couldn't be started here," Molly said, "And it's about time you settled down and got married." Looking squarely at Hermione, she said, "There are several eligible English witches who would make you a fine wife, Charlie."

"I'm happy being single, Mum," he said quietly. "We've had this discussion before."

"But we lost so many people in the war," she insisted. "Even the Ministry has established a Repopulation Department to encourage people to have more children."

"If and when I meet the right woman, I'll get married," he said in a tone of voice that indicated that he considered the matter closed. "Until then, I'm happy with my life the way it is."

Hermione pressed her lips together tightly to keep from telling Molly Weasley off. Not satisfied with trying to get her and George together, now she was trying to push her off on Charlie!

She liked Charlie well enough, and in other circumstances, she might have considered him a good match. But the more she lived with Molly Weasley, the more she was determined not to become her daughter-in-law by whatever son she had available. And then there was Lucius' offer to consider, she thought to herself, with the tiniest hint of a grin crossing her face.

"Were you going to come along to the train station with me to pick up Ginny?" Arthur said hurriedly, wanting to head his wife off before this old argument got out of hand.

"I suppose so," Molly said. "The house is pretty well in order and I think Kreacher can handle what's left to do."

"I've borrowed a muggle car from the Ministry and I'll pick you up at four, then," Arthur said.

The conversation turned to more mundane topics, and Hermione let her mind drift back to Lucius as voices buzzed around her. The more she thought about his proposal, the more inclined she was to accept. The only thing that had kept her from telling him yes right away was knowing that the Weasleys and Harry would never accept it.

"You're awfully quiet, Hermione," Molly said suddenly. "Thinking about Ron, again, dear? You poor thing."

"No, no, that's not it," the younger woman replied, barely able to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I was just thinking of how much studying I had to do."

"Studying?" Molly said. "It's Christmas break now. And Ginny will be home tonight. You'll have plenty of opportunity to study some other time."

"Nevertheless, I don't want to fall behind," she said firmly, now almost to the point of seething. "I think I'll go upstairs now and do a bit of studying now before Ginny arrives." Before Molly could object any further, Hermione rose from the table and hurriedly left the room.

Once inside the sanctuary of her room and having shut the door behind her, Hermione expelled a loud breath in combined anger and frustration. It had taken nearly all her self control not to lash out at Molly Weasley's meddling. Glancing over at Ron's picture on the dresser, she wondered how in the world she would have ever put up with having Molly as a mother-in-law if Ron had lived. All of a sudden, she felt lucky to have dodged this particularly heavy bullet, then felt a brief twinge of guilt for thinking that one aspect of her life was better because he hadn't lived.

Sitting on the bed, she began to fantasize about the things she could do and the places she could go if she became Lucius Malfoy's consort. She mused that they would have a comfortable relationship, unmarred by the level of enmeshment that Molly Weasley considered normal in a marriage. And she would never want for money again. Nor was Lucius hard on the eyes.

As she daydreamed, her eyes fell on the schoolbooks waiting at the desk. Heaving one last sigh, she rose from the bed to heed the call to study. She'd not been lying to Molly when she said she needed to study; she'd gotten sidetracked by Lucius and if she accepted his offer, there would be more studying delays to come. And regardless of what decision she made concerning his offer, it was imperative for her to complete her studies, as she had no intention of putting her entire fate into the hands of any man, subject to his whims of desire for her survival. As a child, her dentist mother had stressed that every woman should be able to support herself, no matter the circumstances.

Two hours later, after writing a particularly long essay for Ancient Runes, she looked up as Molly Weasley entered her room without knocking.

"We're all leaving to go pick up Ginny at the train station," Molly said. "Are you going to come along?"

"I don't think so," Hermione said. "I've still got a bit of studying to do."

"You've been studying too much," Molly said. "You spend entirely too much time studying. How do you expect to ever find another man if you lock yourself up here every day with these dusty books?"

"I'm not looking for a man!" she exclaimed. "I am, however, wanting to prepare for some kind of career once I graduate from Hogwarts in the spring."

"It's OK, dear," the older woman said, realizing she'd gone a bit too far. "You're so smart that you'd be a success at any job you wanted. But it wouldn't hurt you to take a few more breaks from the books." Seeing that Hermione wasn't mollified by her attempt at smoothing things over, she gave up, backing out of the room. "We'll have supper as soon as Ginny gets here," she said in parting. "Kreacher is taking care of it."

After she heard the older woman's steps retreating down the stairs, Hermione angrily heaved the book she'd been holding at her bedroom door. She was going to go around the bend if she had to live with Molly Weasley much longer.

But Hermione knew she ought to feel grateful to the older woman, as she knew that she'd have to make a decision about where she wanted to go with her life by the end of the school term, anyway. The Weasleys would be moving back to the Burrow by then, and Harry and Ginny would be married before the summer was over. And though she knew she'd be welcomed to live at either place after that time, the prospect of either being a fifth wheel intruding on the privacy of a newlywed couple or looking forward to more of Molly Weasley's nagging was not a pleasant one. She wouldn't -- and couldn't -- go back to living in the muggle world with her parents, either here or in Australia, and she didn't have the funds to live alone.

Nor would any of these people live their lives based on her approval, so she decided to do what she'd already decided down deep inside, regardless of what anyone else thought about it.

She was going to accept Lucius Malfoy's proposal and become his consort.

Feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she grabbed a piece of parchment and hastily scribbled a note to Lucius:

_Lucius,_

_I need to see you right away. _

_Would you be able to meet me at the Leaky Cauldron as soon as possible?_

_I await your reply by owl._

_Hermione_

After quickly drying the ink, she hurried up the stairs to the door that opened onto the roof, where the Weasleys had constructed a small owlery for Errol and Pigwidgeon. Finding both owls asleep, she gently touched Pigwidgeon, who had been her owl since Ron's death, then attached the note to the bird's leg.

"Hurry, Pig," she whispered. "Wait for a reply and I'll be up here waiting on you."

After the bird had flown off to deliver the message, Hermione stepped out onto the roof proper to gaze out onto muggle London as she waited impatiently for the reply. Shivering a bit from the cold, she pulled her wand out of her jeans and cast a warming spell around herself as she settled in to wait.

She didn't have to wait long. Within twenty minutes, Pig came flying back with Lucius' reply:

_H._

_I'll be waiting._

_L._

As soon as she'd read the note and given Pig an owl treat, she rushed downstairs and out the door after quickly grabbing her robe from the closet and leaving Molly a note saying she'd be out for a few hours. She sighed in relief as she apparated away, glad she'd not run into the returning Weasleys on the way out.

--

Thanks to my reviewers. I appreciate your input.


	9. An Answer

Hermione was breathless in anticipation as she hurried into the Leaky Cauldron. She was surprised to see that Lucius was already there waiting for her, lounging in a back booth over a cup of tea.

As Hermione slipped into the booth opposite him, he gave her an appraising gaze, then drawled, "So. Am I correct in presuming that you have an answer for me regarding my proposal?"

"You are," Hermione replied, feeling a touch of nervousness.

"And?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I've decided to accept your proposal," she said with a timid smile. "I know I needed to make a change in my life, as I can't go on living with the Weasleys forever. I weighed all my options and I've decided to become your consort."

"Excellent," Lucius said, smiling.

"So," Hermione asked shyly. "When do we go to St. Mungo's for the procedure."

"Procedure?" Lucius was baffled.

"The artificial insemination," she clarified.

"Artificial insemination?" he repeated in confusion. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

"You know," Hermione said. "It's when the man's sperm is injected into the woman by...err...medical means. In the muggle world, it's done for two primary reasons: when the couple cannot conceive naturally, and in cases where a relationship does not exist but the man acts as sperm donor."

"Well, neither of those criteria apply to us," Lucius said, a hint of frost edging into his voice. "I have proven that I can sire a child, and I'm assuming that you are a perfectly healthy young woman able to bear children. Secondly, we are entering a consort _relationship_, though different from marriage, is a relationship, nonetheless."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'd just assumed that because you're married and we're not in love, that it would be done by artificial insemination."

Taking her hand, he said in a softer tone of voice, "There are a few things you don't understand about the wizarding world, Hermione. A magical child cannot be conceived by this 'artificial insemination'. In order for the spark of magic to be transferred from both parents to the child, both parents must acheive orgasm, for it is at that moment that the magic occurs. If we did as you suggested, we would produce a squib."

"I didn't know," Hermione said in quiet amazement.

"As I've stated before, I like you and respect you, which I believe is a firm enough base to begin a relationship and to become parents," he said, amazed that such an intelligent young woman could be so thick about some things. Looking into her eyes, he continued, "And because I don't love you now, it doesn't mean that love may not happen between us in the future." Taking a deep breath, he concluded, "And I know by the way you've responded to my kisses that you don't find me repulsive."

"Not at all!" she said, blushing. "You're quite handsome."

"We have an agreement, then?" he asked.

"Yes," Hermione said. "But I don't want to make it public until I do conceive. The Weasleys and Harry are not going to approve of this and I don't want them to give me any trouble until there's nothing they can do about it."

"That's probably wise," he agreed. "But as soon as you are pregnant, we will go down to the Ministry of Magic to make it official."

"I agree," she said.

"Would you like to go upstairs for awhile, so we can have a bit of time alone together?" he asked.

"Upstairs?" Had he been so sure of her answer that he'd already rented a room before hearing it?

"I have a penthouse on the roof of this building," he explained. "I've had it for years for use when I'm in London. I'd thought that in light of our agreement, that you'd want to go there to spend some private time with me."

Hermione colored at the implication of what he meant by "private time". "Yes," she said, "You're right. Let's go there now."

Lucius noticed her discomfort. "There's no need to be nervous," he said soothingly. "Surely you and young Mr Weasley...?" He left the question dangling in the air.

"No, we never -- I never -- I'm a virgin!" she stammered.

Smiling broadly this time, Lucius leaned over to give her a kiss. "That's nothing to be embarrassed about, Hermione. In fact, I am quite pleased to be your first lover and that I get to be the one who will initiate you into the art of lovemaking." Squeezing her hands, he murmured, "Let's go upstairs."

She nodded, then got up and followed him without protest.  
--

A/N: Because this chapter is so short, you'll get Chapter 10 today, too. Chapter 10 is what earned this story an M rating.


	10. The First Time

When Lucius and Hermione reached the second floor, they found the corridor empty. "This way," Lucius said, leading her to a nondescript door at the far end of the hall.

Hermione was surprised to see a broom closet, full of janitorial brooms and other cleaning supplies, on the other side of the door. Before she could question him, Lucius had tapped a secret panel in the back with his wand, which slid to the side to reveal a velvety green carpeted stairway leading upwards.

At the top of the stairs was a semi-circular landing with two paneled doors painted in the same dark green as the carpet, with silver trim. Each door had a silver, coiled snake knocker, with a portrait of Lucius on one wall and the Malfoy crest on the other, beside the doors.

With a wave of his wand, the doors slowly opened inward. Inside was a semi-circular foyer with a long hall extended in front of them, decorated in the same green, silver, and black theme. Portraits of Malfoy ancestors going back several hundred years adorned the walls on either side of them, interspersed with doorways on both sides between the portraits. At the end of the corridor was a semi-circular alcove with a large picture window that looked out over Diagon Alley, directly opposite the entryway.

Hermione walked slowly toward the window, glancing at the portraits of blond-haired ancestors as she went, disappointed that the doors along the way were closed. Standing at the window, she had an excellent panoramic view of the activity going on in the magical street below.

"Do you like the view," Lucius asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "It's even better at night, when you can see everything all lit up."

"It's beautiful," she said.

"Would you like to see the rest of the place?" he asked, opening a door to his left.

Hermione inhaled sharply as she stepped into a well-appointed library. The high-ceilinged room had books on every magical topic imaginable, in cases from floor to ceiling on two levels. There was a spiral staircase on the far wall to access the second level. A massive writing desk faced another window, with a comfortable couch and two well-padded chairs in the middle of the room. On the opposite wall from the window was a large fireplace. The bookshelves were made of intricately carved wood and the room was decorated in shades of burgundy, brown, and hunter green.

"Ohhh, my," she breathed. "I could spend hours in here. I've always wanted to have a library like this."

"And so you shall," he said, bending to kiss her on the cheek.

Returning to the door, he led her back into the hallway. Lucius showed her a luxuriously appointed kitchen that opened onto a long, narrow dining room that seated 12, a comfortable room for entertaining guests, a small potions lab on the other side of the kitchen, a well-stocked pantry, and a balcony with a small owlery attached.

Next, were two bedrooms, with a playroom in between them, already filled with many of the common toys that wizarding children enjoyed. "These are lovely," Hermione said, commenting on the bedrooms. She smiled, imagining their child sleeping in the crib that stood waiting in one of the bedrooms.

"I can't wait to fill that crib," he murmured, leaning over to kiss her.

"Why don't we go work on that," Hermione replied, immediately blushing at her own boldness.

"I thought you'd never ask," Lucius said, smirking.

After leaving the nursery, he led her back down the hall. Instead of re-entering the library, however, Lucius turned to a door on the opposite side of the hall.

Without a word, he opened the door to reveal the master bedroom. Against the wall, between two tall windows, covered in heavy emerald velvet curtains was a black lacquer king size bed that Hermione guessed was a genuine piece from the Art Deco era. Another fireplace was on the wall opposite the bed and on the wall opposite from where they stood were two doors. One door stood open to reveal a bathroom larger than Hermione's dorm room at Hogwarts. A huge jacuzzi tub, made of black marble, large enough to comfortably hold four people, dominated the room.

Lucius opened the second door, which revealed a large dressing room/walk-in closet. One side of the closet was filled with Lucius' clothing, with the other side empty, ready for Hermione's belongings.

As Hermione looked at the empty side obviously meant for her, Lucius said, "I intend to take you to Twilfitt and Tatting's for an entire wardrobe one day soon at your convenience. When that's done, I assure you that your side of the closet will be quite full."

"Why?" Hermione asked. "What's the matter with the clothes I already have?"

"Nothing," he said. "But I daresay that most of your clothes are more befitting of a schoolgirl than an adult witch who has now entered into a consort relationship with a Malfoy." After a pause, he continued, "People will talk if you are dressed less well than Narcissa. They will think I'm not properly respecting nor taking care of you."

"Considering you put it that way, I accept," Hermione said, reaching up to give him a kiss.

Lucius led her back into the bedroom and sat on a padded settee at the foot of the bed. Holding his hand out for Hermione, he said quietly, "Come sit down.'

She obeyed, gulping in nervousness, in anticipation of what was to come next.

As Lucius took her into his arms, he felt her heart hammering against his chest. "It's going to be all right," he murmured, rubbing her back gently. "I daresay that you'll enjoy it."

"I feel silly for being nervous," she said. "Most of the girls I knew lost their virginity before leaving Hogwarts."

"I'm glad you waited," Lucius said, bending to give her a passionate kiss. "But I intend to remedy your lack of experience very shortly."

They didn't say anything for the next few minutes, as their kisses grew more passionate and urgent. Lucius could feel Hermione relax as he continued to kiss her and rub her back. She didn't notice that his hands had moved on to other areas until she felt the tips of his fingers at the bottom of her bra, under her sweater. After she inhaled sharply, but did not otherwise object, Lucius used his other hand to unclasp her bra, then slid his fingers upward to brush against one nipple that was already taut in anticipation.

"Like that?" he whispered as he continued to lazily stroke the distended peak.

"Ohhhh, yesss," she replied, feeling quite boneless.

"Let's get more comfortable," he said. With a swish of his wand, they were quickly scooted up to lie on the bed together. He resumed the exploration of Hermione's body as he continued to kiss her. Soon, her initial reticence had melted away and within a short time soft moans of desire escaped her lips as Lucius stroked certain parts of her body, igniting her arousal .

"So soft," she sighed, as she ran one tentative hand through his long blond hair. "I always knew it would be."

"Touch me," Lucius breathed, as he guided her other hand between his legs

As her hands came in contact with the hard length of him, he murmured, "Feel how much I want you.

She touched him once hesitantly, then with growing confidence. Wanting to feel him without the encumbrance of cloth between them, she fumbled to reach inside his trousers.

"Let me help you," he said. With one flick of his wand, their clothes were gone and they were under the covers.

Hermione resumed where she'd left off, intrigued by the velvety hardness of his erection. She was gratified to know that she was pleasing him, if the expression on his face and the sounds coming from his throat were any indication.

Lucius continued to explore every part of her body with fingers and tongue, but studiously avoided the one place where he knew her need was growing. He wanted her squirming with desire before he would take the final step to consummate their relationship.

"Please, Lucius," Hermione finally begged.

Needing no further encouragement, Lucius positioned himself to enter her. Pausing, he said, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Hermione emphatically said. "Now! Please!"

With no further ado, he entered her smoothly, then paused to allow her body to adjust to his size. Once he felt her relax after the momentary twinge of discomfort, he began to move within her with a slow, sinuous pace.

Her passion mounting, Hermione instinctively began to match his movements, the pace crescendoing as they both neared climax. Her hands clutched at his well-formed bum, which further spurred him on.

Within a short time, Hermione stiffened, arching her back as her climax washed over her, accompanied by soft mewls of pleasure. Lucius, sensing her release, relinquished control and came, too, emitting a satisfied grunt.

Now motionless, but still lying within her, Lucius looked down at her and smiled, as they both panted raggedly in aftermath. After a moment, he rolled off, moving to lie beside her in a shared post-orgasmic haze.

"That was wonderful," Hermione murmured as she snuggled closer to him, with her head on his chest as she traced lazy circles around one of his nipples.

"Mmmm," Lucius agreed, sated and content.

Neither spoke for several long moments. Hermione was suddenly glad that she and Ron had never "done the deed", as she knew it couldn't have matched what she just experienced with Lucius.

"Why don't we try the jacuzzi," Lucius said a short time later.

"I'd love to," she replied.

Five minutes later, they were relaxing in the oversize tub. "I don't want to go back to the Weasleys tonight," Hermione said.

"Then don't," Lucius said. "Stay with me tonight."

"Ginny is coming home from Hogwarts tonight," she said. "And I left Mrs Weasley a note saying I'd be gone only a few hours. They'll worry about me."

"Just owl them and make up a plausible excuse," he urged.

Thinking for a few moments, Hermione finally said, "I've got it! I'll tell them I was missing my parents, so I went back to my old home to call them by muggle telephone and decided to spend the night there."

"Where are your parents?" he asked.

"They've been living in Australia," she answered. "But they kept our house here as they're not sure whether they want to stay in Australia for good."

"Hmm..." Lucius had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Your parents' situation provides us with a good opportunity," he said. After a pause, he continued, "We will need to spend an extended period of uninterrupted time together if you are to conceive in a timely fashion. I'd been trying to think of a way to explain your absence that wouldn't raise the Weasley's suspicions."

Giving her a kiss on the top of the head, he concluded, "From what you just told me, I'd suggest telling them that you miss your parents so much that you're planning to go to Australia for Christmas to be with them. When you go back there tomorrow to get your things, you can tell them that your parents suggested it tonight while on the phone."

"I think that would work," she said, smiling.

"I thought we could take a trip to the States," Lucius said. "Draco is studying at Salem Witches' Institute, and I want to visit him before he goes back home for Christmas. I need to tell him about us and I want to do it without Narcissa around."

"I can't imagine he'll be thrilled at the news," Hermione admitted.

"No, but he will get over it," Lucius said. "He'll accept it in the end, regardless of his personal feelings."

"I hope so."

"You and I will stay at a home I own near Salem over Christmas, while he spends the holiday with his mother," Lucius said.

"I'd better go now and owl the Weasleys," Hermione said. "I'm already late.

"Plenty of time for that," Lucius drawled, pulling Hermione into his arms. "Have I ever told you how wonderful sex in a jacuzzi can be?"

Hermione grinned and promptly forgot about owls for the next hour or so.  
--

A/N Next Chapter: A Cock and Bull Story.  
A/N: Thanks to my readers for their continued support of my story.


	11. A Cock and Bull Story

As Hermione awakened gradually the next morning, she slowly became aware of something hard poking her in the bum, then realized there was an arm draped around her waist. When she opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar surroundings, she remembered.

She smiled to herself, thinking of how she and Lucius had spent most of the previous night making love. Rolling over, she found Lucius awake, looking at her.

"Good morning," she murmured with a shy smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"I always sleep well after sex," Lucius drawled. "But morning sex always invigorates me."

"Oh?" Hermione said, grinning wickedly. "Why don't you prove it."

Lucius proceeded to do just that, much to Hermione's satisfaction.

Quite some time later, as the couple reclined together in afterglow, Hermione said, "I guess it's time to face the music."

"Yes, the sooner you get that out of the way, the sooner we can plan our trip," Lucius agreed. "Just remember to keep your explanation to a minimum. Lies are easier to catch if you make them too complicated."

"You're right," she said. "Let's see -- my parents invited me to Australia for Christmas. I'm taking a muggle airplane and my muggle aunt is driving me to the airport. Right?"

"Yes, I think you've got it." he said. "Let's get up, get showered, and have some breakfast before you head over there, though. And while you're gone, I'm going to go to Malfoy Manor and tell Narcissa about our trip."

An hour later, Hermione apparated to Grimmauld Place. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for what would come next. Lucius would be waiting for her back at the penthouse after returning from Malfoy Manor and she didn't want to take any more time explaining to the Weasleys than she had to.

She opened the door slowly, silently hoping it wouldn't squeal and alert those inside to her presence. It did squeal somewhat, but no one was about in the foyer or the hall and the door to the kitchen was closed. Hermione headed straight for the stairs, wanting to get packed before she had the dreaded discussion.

After tiptoeing up the stairs, she pushed the door to her bedroom open, finding Ginny still fast asleep in bed. Not wanting to disturb her, Hermione set about reducing her clothing and books for travel.

Looking at Crookshanks sleeping peacefully beside Ginny in bed, she sorrowfully realized that she'd have to leave him here until she and Lucius returned from America. Hermione vowed to return for him once she moved away for good.

Giving her beloved cat a farewell pat, she turned to leave the room.

"Hermione."

Hermione turned to see Ginny sitting up in bed, regarding her with a quizzical expression. Bowing to the inevitable, she went to sit on her own bed.

"Where are you sneaking off to," Ginny demanded. "And where were you last night."

"I got to feeling homesick, so I went back to my parents' house to call them by muggle telephone," she explained. "They were missing me, too, and they invited me to come to Australia for the holidays. I have to meet my muggle aunt at my old home later and she'll take me to the airport."

"You might be able to fool Mum with that cock and bull story," Ginny said. "But I know better. I think you've finally got a man. And it's about time, too. I thought you were going to be like Cho was about Cedric and mourn Ron forever." After seeing the stunned expression on Hermione's face, she continued, "You look like a woman who's just gotten shagged." Hurrying on before Hermione could protest, she said, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell Mum."

"How did you know?" Hermione asked.

"Experience," Ginny replied. "Harry and I have been shagging for quite some time now, and I've gotten quite good at making up excuses for Mum, myself." Giggling, she continued, "As a matter of fact, it's just as well you stayed out last night, as it gave Harry and I a chance to get in a welcome home shag with Mum being none the wiser." Looking squarely at Hermione, she asked, "So, who is it? Anyone I know?"

"I can't tell you yet," Hermione stammered, just imagining the reaction that Ginny would have if she knew Hermione was shagging Lucius Malfoy.

"A married man, is it?" Ginny guessed. "You don't want the wife to find out, hmm?"

"Yes, yes, that's it," Hermione said. "I promised him I'd not tell anyone about it, just yet."

"I understand," Ginny said. "But I want to hear all about it when you can tell me."

"I promise," Hermione said. "I hate to cut it short, but I've really got to rush. Is your Mum downstairs, so I can get this over with?"

"I suppose so," Ginny said. "Harry was here until about 5 this morning and I've been asleep since."

"Well, I'll see you after the first of the year, then," Hermione said briskly. "I hope you have a Happy Christmas."

"You, too," Ginny said.

A few moments later, Hermione walked into the kitchen to find Molly Weasley preparing lunch. Arthur and Charlie were sitting around the table drinking tea. Harry was nowhere in sight; after what Ginny had told her, she figured he was still in bed catching up on his sleep.

"There you are!" Molly immediately pounced the moment she saw Hermione enter the room. "Where have you been?"

"Didn't you get my owl?" Hermione asked

"Yes, I did," she said. "But I thought you would have gotten back here earlier this morning."

"Well, I've got news," Hermione said hurriedly. "Mum and Dad have invited me to come to Australia to spend the holidays with them. There's a ticket waiting for me at Heathrow, the muggle airport, and my Mum's sister is going to drive me there this afternoon.

"Well!" Molly huffed, hands on hips. "This is all so sudden!"

"I know," Hermione said. "But I've not spent the holidays with them in a few years and I think it will do me good to have a change of scenery for awhile."

"We'll miss you," Molly said, giving her a big hug.

"I'll be back right after New Year's," the younger woman told her. "It won't be that long."

"I think the trip is a fine idea," Arthur put in. "I hope you have a wonderful time."

"Thanks," Hermione said.

"Don't worry about a thing," he said. "We'll take care of Crookshanks for you."

"I appreciate that," Hermione said. "And, now, I'll have to go if I'm to meet my aunt on time and get to the airport."

Heading to the door, she said, "I'll miss you all. Have a Happy Christmas."

"We'll miss you, too," Molly said.

And with that, Hermione slipped out the door and quickly apparated away.

--

A/N: I'm quite pleased with the response I've gotten to this story. Thanks to all who have read and commented on it.  
A/N: Coming Next -- Shopping and Travel Plans


	12. Shopping and Travel Plans

A moment later, Hermione appeared in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron, then hurried upstairs to Lucius' penthouse.

She found Lucius in the library, seated in front of the fireplace, reading the _Daily Prophet_ over a cup of tea.

"That didn't take long," Lucius observed as she entered the room. "I trust that everything went smoothly?"

"Yes," Hermione said, taking the chair beside him. "But Ginny guessed that I have a man."

"Did you tell her about me?" Lucius demanded.

"No," Hermione assured him. "I told her I couldn't tell who it was because it was a married man and that satisfied her for now. And she did promise not to tell her Mum about it and that she'd go along with the story I told her parents."

"Good," he said. "Did you bring your belongings?"

"Yes," she replied. "I brought everything, except for my cat, Crookshanks. I figured he'd be better off with the Weasleys while we visit America. I'll pick him up once we get back and we've made our relationship public."

"Speaking of our trip, I want to leave as soon as possible," Lucius said. "Tomorrow, I think." After a sip of tea, he continued, "I want to take you shopping for new clothes as befits your new status, plus anything else you think you might need."

"How are we going to travel to America?" Hermione asked. "I can't imagine apparating across the Atlantic Ocean."

"The fireplaces at Malfoy Manor are equipped for international floo travel," he explained. "A different type of floo powder is used for traveling such distances. Apparition is possible, but it involves doing it in several jumps: to Iceland, to Greenland, and so on."

"Could we not take a muggle airplane?" Hermione asked, apprehensive about flooing across the Atlantic Ocean.

"It's perfectly safe to floo that distance with the right fireplaces and floo powder," Lucius assured her. "I've done it many, many times with no trouble. Besides, I don't have a current muggle passport, so traveling by airplane is out for right now."

"I'll trust your judgment," Hermione said. "I'm sure once I do it, I'll be comfortable with it from then on."

"Now that this is settled, why don't we go to Twilfitt and Tatting's so I can buy you some clothing for the trip," Lucius said. "Then we can take in an early dinner before retiring for the night."

"All right," Hermione agreed.

Two hours later, Hermione had been measured and outfitted with enough new clothing for the trip, with the seamstress promising to have a complete wardrobe ready for her upon the couple's return from the States. While Hermione had been in the changing room, Lucius had also taken the seamstress aside and told her to make sure to include a wide selection of maternity robes in the wardrobe.

"I feel so decadent," Hermione said as she and Lucius were exiting Twilfitt and Tatting's with her wearing one of her new outfits, a fitted dress robe in Gryffindor scarlet. "Are you sure I need that many new clothes?"

"You'd better get used to it," Lucius told her. "From now on, I intend that you and our child should always have the very best of everything."

As they climbed the stairs to the penthouse a few minutes later, Lucius said, "I thought we'd eat dinner here tonight."

"Oh?" Hermione said. "I'm afraid I don't know how to cook."

"Nor would I ever expect you to," Lucius assured her.

"_You're_ going to cook?" Hermione asked, dumbfounded, as he led her to the kitchen. Somehow, she just couldn't imagine Lucius Malfoy in an apron standing over a boiling pot.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lucius said as they entered the kitchen, which looked no different from when he'd first shown it to Hermione."

"Breezy," Lucius said.

Almost instantly, there was a loud crack. A female house elf dressed in a clean tea towel appeared, looking up expectantly at Lucius. "Master called Breezy?"

"Yes, Breezy," he said. "This is Miss Granger and she is my consort." After Breezy curtsied politely to Hermione, he continued, "Mrs Malfoy tells me that you've recently completed your training, so I want to give you a chance to show us what you've learned. I've left the list of what I want you to cook there on the table."

"Yes, Master," Breezy said. "I will cook you a wonderful meal you will not forget."

"Excellent," he said. "Miss Granger and I will be in the library until it's ready."

"Tell me about Breezy," Hermione said carefully once she and Lucius were seated side by side in front of the fireplace.

"Draco told me you were for freeing all the house elves," Lucius said, instantly understanding her unsaid thoughts. "Do you still feel that way?"

"I'm still interested in making sure they're treated fairly and kindly," Hermione said. "But Kreacher showed me that most elves are happiest when they can serve their families and be appreciated for it." After a moment, she continued, "I'm not asking you to free her. I just want to know a little about her."

"Well, that's good because I intend to transfer her primary allegiance to you once our relationship is official," he said. "I won't be able to live with you seven days a week once you conceive, as that wouldn't be fair to Narcissa. I will spend three or four days with you every week, however."

"Go on."

"Once you become pregnant and maintain your own household here, you'll need household help. Breezy's mother is the head cook at Malfoy Manor and Breezy has just completed her apprenticeship as cook and housekeeper. She is ready to manage a household of her own. I'm sure she will be delighted when I tell her that she will soon have a family to take care of."

"What would happen to her if I refused?" Hermione asked.

"We have enough house elves to run Malfoy Manor properly, so she would have ended up employed at Hogwarts," he told her. "Trust me when I tell you that she'll be much happier caring for you and our children."

"In that case, I accept," Hermione said.

"Good," he said. "I'll feel better when you're here alone if Breezy is with you."

An hour later, as the couple lingered over after dinner drinks, Hermione said, "That was wonderful. I'm going to get fat off Breezy's marvelous cooking."

"You'll be gaining some weight in the near future at any rate," Lucius noted. "Why don't we call it a night and go work on that now?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Hermione said, smiling.

--

A/N: Thanks to my readers for their continuing support of this story. Pictures of some of Hermione's new clothes are posted on my companion blog, which can be clicked to from my profile.  
A/N: Next chapter: A Meeting and a Trip


	13. A Meeting and a Trip

After lunch the next day, Lucius and Hermione left for Malfoy Manor, Hermione with her reduced luggage in her pocket. They apparated onto the grounds not far from the imposing 18th century mansion, which had been built by Lucius' several times great-grandfather.

Hermione was apprehensive as Lucius led her to the house, as this would be the first time she'd encountered Narcissa Malfoy since that unpleasant incident in Madame Malkin's right before the beginning of her sixth year. She hoped that Mrs Malfoy had forgotten about the incident and would not bring it up.

Opening a set of French doors, Lucius ushered her into the library, which was built on a similar plan to that at his penthouse, but on a much larger scale. Hermione inhaled sharply, as she turned her head to take it all in.

"Like it?" he asked as he shut the doors.

"Need you ask?" Hermione said, smiling broadly.

"My several times great grandfather started this library in 1742," he told her. "And all his books are still here, along with those of each subsequent generation. There are thousands of volumes."

"I could spend weeks in here," she said, looking at the books like a child in a candy shop.

"There you are, Lucius," a haughty voice said from the opposite said of the room.

Hermione turned to see a tall, willowy blond regarding her with a cool expression.

"Narcissa," Lucius said, moving to kiss his wife on the cheek. Turning to Hermione, he said, "May I present Miss Granger?"

"Miss Granger," Narcissa Malfoy said, extending one slim hand for her to shake.

"Mrs Malfoy," Hermione replied with a tentative smile. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," the older woman said crisply. "Lucius speaks highly of you." Turning to her husband, she said, "I have some things I want you to take to Draco." She reached into her pocket and handed him a small package, with several reduced items in it."

"He'll be coming home in a week," Lucius said, smiling at the number of items in the bag. "And it's not as if he's stranded in the jungles of Borneo."

"It's just some of his favorite pastries," Narcissa replied. "Just to tide him over until he comes home."

Taking the package from her with just the hint of a grin, he said, "I'll make sure he gets them."

He turned to Hermione and said, "I need to get a few things to bring along." Gesturing to a pot of tea sitting on a small table by an easy chair," he said. "Have a cup of tea and I won't be but a few minutes."

As she did as he suggested, he swept out of the room with Narcissa following close behind. Hermione wished she had an Extendable Ear with her, as it was obvious that the Malfoys wished to say their farewells in private.

Lucius returned to the library alone a few minutes later. "I'm ready to go now," he said as he walked briskly over to the large fireplace. He reached into a container on the mantel and withdrew a handful of floo powder. Beckoning to Hermione and handing her some of the powder, he said, "International flooing allows two people to travel together at the same time. We'll both need to say, 'Malfoy home, Salem, Massachusetts' as we both throw the powder."

Hermione stepped gingerly into the fireplace with Lucius and took his hand. She held up the other hand containing the floo powder, waiting for his signal.

"Now!" he said, and they both threw their powder and called out their destination.

A moment later, Hermione was staring out at a different, but no less luxurious, library than the one she'd just left. She stepped out of the fireplace into a large room bathed by early morning sunlight.

As Lucius joined her, she said, "Another wonderful library!" as she looked around with great interest.

Indicating an easy chair by the fire, Lucius said. "Why don't you have a seat and have a another cup of tea, if you wish. I need to find Draco and break the news of our relationship to him privately."

"That's probably best," Hermione said. "I've got some schoolwork with me to keep me occupied while you do that."

"Noddy!" Lucius said, calling for a house elf.

"Master Lucius," said the male elf that appeared seconds later. "I did not know you were coming."

"Do you know if Master Draco is up yet?" Lucius asked.

"Oh, yes, Master Draco is in the bathroom taking a shower," the elf informed him. "He will have breakfast when he is done."

"Excellent," Lucius said. "Go up there and tell him that his father will be waiting for him in the breakfast room. When you're done, please bring Miss Granger whatever she might choose to eat or drink." After indicating Hermione to the elf, "Do not speak of her presence to Master Draco under any circumstances."

"Yes, Master, I understand." The elf disappeared with a loud crack to carry out Lucius' orders.

"I shouldn't be too long," Lucius told Hermione, kissing her on the cheek before walking to the door leading into the hall.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "Take your time."

A/N Glad to see that everyone is still reading! I appreciate it.  
A/N My blog has pictures of what Lucius' American home might look like. I'm also trying to make some banners for this story, but it's slow going as I've never really used Paint and it's trial and error. I'll post whatever I can manage to make soon.  
A/N Next Chapter: "Lucius: Conversation With Draco"


	14. Lucius: Conversation With Draco

Ten minutes later, Lucius looked up from his tea as his son entered the breakfast room.

"Father!" Draco said. "I didn't expect you. Is everything all right?"

"Calm down, Draco," Lucius said coolly. "There's nothing wrong." Removing the package Narcissa had given him from his pocket, he enlarged it with his wand, then set it down on the table. "Your mother sent you this," he said with a chuckle. "Apparently, she thinks good food is unavailable here."

Ripping into the package eagerly, Draco said, "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"However, I do have something I need to discuss with you," Lucius said. Gesturing to a chair, he added, "I think you might want to sit down for this."

With a worried expression, Draco did as his father directed. "What is it?"

"You have a subscription to _The Daily Prophet_, correct?" Lucius asked.

"Yes," Draco affirmed, wondering what his father was getting at.

"Did you read the article about the Ministry of Magic establishing a Repopulation Department, in order to address the number of lives lost during the war?" the older man asked.

"Yes, I remember reading that," Draco replied. "All that rot about how purebloods should marry half-bloods and mudbloods in order to avoid having so many squibs."

"It also suggested that married purebloods should enter into secondary partnerships in order to help increase the population and improve the gene pool," Lucius added. "The Ministry has dubbed such relationships as consort relationships."

"Go on," Draco encouraged, somewhat nervously. He sincerely hoped that his father didn't expect _him_ to take up with a mudblood.

"After reading this article and in light of the fact that your mother is unable to have more children, I decided to do as the ministry suggests," Lucius said. "I thought that taking a muggleborn consort would help repair my reputation in the wizarding community and speed up the process of putting my allegiance to the Dark Lord behind me.'

"Surely, you're joking," Draco said. "You can't be serious."

"I assure you that I'm quite serious," Lucius said. "Above all, Malfoys are survivors and if we're to regain our influence with the Ministry we must be adaptable. And I believe that this was an excellent opportunity to show my willingness to adapt."

"Does Mother know about this?" Draco demanded. "I can't imagine she'd be pleased."

"She knows," the older man said. "And while I won't pretend that she loves the idea, she understands and accepts the reasoning behind it; that's it's for the long-term benefit of all of us." After a pause, he continued, "And with my taking a muggleborn consort, that will deflect attention from you when you marry a pureblood witch, just as your mother and I always intended for you."

"So, who is the witch?" Draco asked. "Or have you not decided?"

"It's Hermione Granger," he said simply, waiting for his son's predictable reaction.

"Have you gone mad?" Draco exploded. "Out of all the mudbloods in the wizarding world, you couldn't come up with anyone better than Miss Know-It-All, Harry Potter's sidekick?" Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued, "You forbid me from getting engaged to Pansy Parkinson because you said 'she's not our type', but then you turn around and start shagging the mudblood Granger! At least Pansy is a pureblood! I just can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"Calm yourself," Lucius ordered in a sharp tone. "I don't have to explain my actions to you, but I will for your mother's and Miss Granger's sakes. First of all, I forbade you from marrying Pansy Parkinson because she would be a liability to our family. She's loud, obnoxious, and undiplomatic. As your wife, she would have hampered the rehabilitation of our good name and she would have hindered your advancement in wizarding society. Her family remains unrepentant of their support of Voldemort and it is essential that we rid ourselves of such associations."

Draco opened his mouth to reply, but Lucius cut him off with a gesture, then continued, "Unlike Miss Parkinson, I believe Hermione Granger will be an asset to our family. By making a public alliance with someone from Harry Potter's inner circle, I am making a clear statement that I have repudiated my years as a Death Eater, and with Miss Granger accepting my suit, I have gotten the seal of approval from a witch who is currently highly regarded in the wizarding community." In a softer voice, he concluded, "And I've found that she and I have quite a bit in common. She's extremely intelligent and I find I enjoy talking with her."

"Among other things," Draco muttered under his breath.

"If you intend to remain my primary heir, you would do best to keep such inappropriate remarks to yourself in the future," Lucius said coldly. "Like it or not, Miss Granger is now a part of this family and you would do well to make the best of it and attempt to get along with her."

"Understood," Draco said in a sullen tone. "So, it's all official, then?"

"We are waiting until she conceives to register our union with the ministry," Lucius told him. "We thought it best so as to avoid any unpleasant interference from Potter and the Weasley family."

"I find it hard to believe that she agreed to become your consort," Draco said. "What did you do; put the Imperius on her?"

"Nothing of the sort," Lucius told him. "Since that dolt Ronald Weasley conveniently got himself killed in the last battle, Miss Granger has been at loose ends on how to proceed with her life. Molly Weasley, as you know, is a meddling battleax who has been pressuring Hermione to marry one of her remaining sons. Miss Granger has lived with the Weasleys since the end of the war and has seen first hand just how suffocating and limiting life would be in that family, with Molly Weasley trying to run her life. She had decided she wanted no part of it; indeed, she'd decided not to marry at all, but to devote her energies into pursuing some sort of career. However, she still wanted to have children."

"I ran into her in Flourish and Blotts the day the _Daily Prophet_ article was printed," he continued. "She and I discussed the article and after that one thing led to another. I soon realized that entering into a consort relationship with her would be beneficial for me on both a public and private level. And I was able to convince her that a consort relationship with me would provide her with the kind of life she wanted. She'd be able to have the children she desired, yet would be able to maintain a high level of independence. And with my support, she'd be able to pursue any career she wishes on her own timetable, while not neglecting the children we would have."

"Do you love her?" Draco demanded. "And does she love you?"

"No, this isn't a love match," Lucius admitted. "But we do like and respect one another. She provides a stimulating challenge to me than has never been present with your mother."

"What about Mother?" Draco asked quietly. "Where does she fit into all of this?"

"I still love your mother and our marriage will continue as before," Lucius assured him. "Rest assured that our family relationship will not change. Miss Granger will not reside at Malfoy Manor, as I've provided my penthouse in London as a home for her and any children we will have."

"This will take a lot of getting used to," Draco said. "It's hard to wrap my mind around this."

"I understand," the older man said. "I've brought Miss Granger with me -- she's waiting in the library -- so that you can get to know her better and begin to adjust to our relationship. She and I will remain here over Christmas, after you go home to spend Christmas with your mother. I want her pregnant as soon as possible, and having an extended period of time here to ourselves will assist in her conceving sooner rather than later."

"She's here?" Draco was incredulous.

"Yes," Lucius said, his patience wearing thin. "We came here expressly to tell you about our relationship privately, rather than you hearing about it from someone else. I thought it better to give you a chance to deal with it here first before going home."

"I appreciate that," Draco said.

"Do you have any classes this morning?" Lucius asked him.

"No, not until this afternoon," Draco said. "I'd gotten up early to go watch some of the younger students in Quidditch practice."

"Excellent," Lucius said. "Then you will have time to meet with Miss Granger and put away your differences." Noticing Draco's sick expression, he continued, "I don't expect you to suddenly become best friends with her, but I insist that you treat her with respect. It's not as if you will have to spend large amounts of time together in the future."

"I understand, Father," Draco said. "I'll do it...for you."

"That's all I ask," Lucius replied smoothly. Noting that Draco had finished his breakfast, he continued, "Now, shall we join Hermione in the library?"

A few moments later, Hermione looked up from her books as she heard the library door squeal open to admit Lucius, followed by a reluctant Draco.

"Hello, Draco," she said in a small voice as Lucius seated himself beside her.

"Granger," he acknowledged gruffly, taking a chair across from the couple.

Looking at both Hermione and Draco, Lucius said, "It's important to me that you both make an effort to get along with one another. I know you've had your differences, to say the least, but that's over with now. It's time to leave the past in the past and to look ahead." After a pause, he focused his attention more on Draco and said, "I don't expect you to become best friends, but it is important that we present a united front to the outside world."

"I'm willing to give it a chance," Hermione said. "It's not as if we really ever got a chance to get to know one another properly in school, what with house rivalries and all."

"I'll do my best," Draco said, clearly uncomfortable.

"Excellent," Lucius said, considering the matter settled. Looking at Draco, he asked, "What time were you going to go to watch Quidditch practice?"

"They start in fifteen minutes, so I need to get going if I want to make it," he replied.

"I won't keep you then," Lucius said. "You go on ahead and we'll see you later."

"I shouldn't be home before this evening," Draco told him. "I have a couple of classes this afternoon and I'll eat lunch at the school."

"All right," Lucius said.

"See you later," Draco said, rising to leave.

After he was gone, Lucius turned to Hermione and said, "Let's go upstairs. There's a new bed for us to try."

"I'm right behind you," Hermione said, grinning.

--  
A/N: I've reached the triple digits in reviews! Thanks to all my readers for their kind comments.  
A/N: New Entry on my companion blog: Sharp Dressed Man  
A/N: Next Chapter, "Hermione: Conversation With Draco


	15. Hermione: Conversation With Draco

Several hours later, Draco Malfoy returned home to find the first floor deserted.

"Father?" he called. After getting no answer he called for the head house elf. "Noddy!"

"Yes, Master Draco?" the elf asked after appearing suddenly in front of the young man.

"Where are my father and Miss Granger?" he asked.

"Oh, Master Lucius told me to tell you that dinner would be served at six sharp and that he would see you then," the elf told him. "He and Miss Granger are in the master bedroom and said that it was my responsibility to make sure no one bothered him."

"Sorry I asked," Draco muttered, shuddering a little as he imagined his father in bed with Know-It-All Granger. Noticing that the elf still stood staring at him in anticipation, he added with a sigh, "That's all, Noddy. I've gotten the message."

After the elf disapparated, Draco wandered into the library to look for a book to read to pass the time before dinner. After idly choosing and rejecting several titles from the shelves, he gave up. The bombshell his father had dropped on him earlier that day was still swirling through his mind, making him too antsy to read.

The young wizard exited the library through French doors that led to the back deck, which overlooked the beach. He often went out there at this time of day to enjoy the view of sunset over the ocean.

This evening, however, he didn't much notice the sun going down as he leaned against the railing continuing to brood about his father's shocking relationship with Hermione Granger. Never in a million years would he have predicted that such a thing could happen.

But he knew that nothing stays the same forever. Intellectually, he also knew that his father was right; they had to adapt and make concessions if the Malfoy name was to regain its former prominence in the future. He would adjust to this new reality, but he didn't think he would ever like it.

He was still deep in thought a half hour later and didn't notice when the door to the library opened and closed.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't know anyone was out here," Hermione Granger stammered behind him, turning to go back inside.

"It's OK, Granger," Draco said quietly. "You can stay." After a pause, he asked, "Where is Father?"

"He'll be down shortly," she said. "He's getting dressed for dinner. I just came out here to see the view while I was waiting for him."

After a few moments of standing uncomfortably side by side in silence, gazing out at the beach, Draco finally spoke. "I have to ask you something."

"Yes?" Hermione said.

"One of the first things I asked Father when he told me about the two of you was if he'd done the Imperius on you. I just couldn't imagine you entering into such a relationship with him willingly," Draco said. "He assured me he had not, so I'm asking you why you did."

"Saint Potter made it clear from the very beginning of our first year that he had no use for me or my family. Weasley naturally followed in his family's footsteps, plus he had the typical Gryffindor atttitude about Slytherins," Draco continued. "I'd just figured that after seven years of being their loyal sidekick, that you'd never consider such a thing. And I can't imagine Potter or the Weasleys being at all pleased with your alliance with Father."

Hermione paused a moment to gather her thoughts, considering how to respond. At first, she'd bristled at Malfoy's sneering attitude toward her friends and her House, but then realized he had some valid points. And then she realized what bothered her most was his assumption that she was little more than a docile follower of Harry and had no mind of her own. But she knew it wouldn't help build a bridge to Draco if she responded out of emotion.

Finally, she took a deep breath and said, "If your father had proposed this a year ago, I'd likely have responded as you said. But since Ron died and I've been living with the Weasleys and Harry, I've had a chance to do a lot of thinking."

"While the Weasleys care about me and mean well, Mrs Weasley in particular is very controlling and intrusive," she admitted. "She's spent the last six months trying to push me off on her remaining single sons, as if they were all interchangeable! It's been rather trying and quite suffocating."

Draco chuckled knowingly, but motioned for her to continue.

"After Ron died, Harry turned his attention more and more to Ginny, and after they announced their engagement, I realized that things had changed and that I couldn't go on living in the past," she continued. "Harry, Ron, and I had a wonderful friendship during our Hogwarts years, but that's over now. Ron is dead and Harry is an engaged man. While he'll always be my friend, I can't spend the rest of my life being his loyal sidekick."

"I know what you mean," Draco admitted, having felt a bit rudderless after the end of the war himself. He thought briefly of Greg Goyle, who'd lost his best friend Vince Crabbe, and who was no longer Draco's loyal sidekick.

"The day I ran into your father in Flourish and Blotts, I was unhappy and knew I needed to find some direction for my life, but I didn't have a clue as to where to begin," she continued.

"After a few conversations with Lucius, I realized what was missing from my life," Hermione said. "I needed someone who would challenge me intellectually. And I must say that your father has been quite a refreshing challenge for me. I hadn't realized how much I missed that until he and I became better acquainted."

Now wound up, she continued, "He also caused me to re-evaluate my life up until that point. As dear as Harry and Ron have been to me, they never challenged me on an intellectual level. On the contrary, I spent most of our friendship, cleaning up their mistakes and messes and trying to keep them pointed in the right direction. And not always with success!"

Draco laughed again.

"I then considered what being married to Ron would have been like," she continued, ignoring the younger Malfoy's laughter. "I figured I'd have spent the rest of my life cleaning up his messes and being a second mother to him." She shuddered briefly at the thought of this. "And if I married any of the other Weasleys, I'd have Molly over my shoulder trying to run my life forever. I didn't want that. And I realized that I really didn't want to be married to anyone; that I liked my independence."

"That still doesn't explain why you hooked up with Father," Draco pointed out. "Though what you've said about Potter and Weasley is quite true."

"I'm getting to that," Hermione said, somewhat irritated. "As I said, your father has been a refreshing challenge to me and he's helped me to clarify what I want out of life. We get along well and I think I challenge him as much as he challenges me. And against all odds and expectations, I've grown to like and respect him." With a blush, she added, "And it doesn't hurt at all that he's one of the most handsome men I've ever met."

"Though I don't want to be married, I do want to have children," she said. "And I want some sort of career one day, which would be tough for a single mother. I also don't want to have to go on living with Harry or the Weasleys forever to make this possible."

"And Lucius wanted to participate in the Repopulation Department's plan, but with a woman who didn't seek to threaten his marriage," she added. "So, when your father made his proposal, I agreed, after careful consideration. And the Ministry's concept of a consort relationship fits both of our needs admirably."

"It seems as if you've given this a lot of thought, I must admit," Draco said slowly. "And though it's still hard for me to wrap my mind around it, I do understand it a bit better now."

"Good!" Hermione said with a shy smile. "It's important to both Lucius and I that you support us."

At that moment, the door opened again to admit Lucius. He walked over to Hermione to take her hand in a possessive gesture. After giving her a peck on the cheek, he said, "I trust everything is well?"

"Yes, it's fine," she assured him.

"Excellent," he said, giving both young people an approving smile. "Now, let's go have dinner."  
--

A/N: As ever, I'm grateful for loyal reviewers  
A/N: There's a new posts on my blog showing my pitiful attempts at banner making. You can access it through my profile  
A/N: Next Chapter: Comparisons


	16. A Comparison

The next morning at breakfast, Lucius asked Hermione, "Would you like to see the Salem Witches' Institute? Or shall I say, the Salem Institute for Witchcraft and Wizardry, which has been its official name since 1976?"

"Oh, yes, I'd love to," she said.

"It's settled, then" he said, smiling. "We'll go right after breakfast."

"I hope they're not too busy to give us a tour," she said, thinking out loud.

"They'll make time," Lucius told her. "Considering that I recently donated several thousand galleons to the school, it would be in their best interests to do so. But I will send an owl to the headmistress to advise her of our visit."

"Will Draco be going with us?" she asked. The younger Malfoy had not appeared at breakfast and she wasn't sure if he was home or had already left for school.

"No, he doesn't have any classes until after lunch, so he's sleeping in this morning," he replied.

Hermione smiled, happy that it would be just the two of them, but did not voice it aloud.

An hour later, the couple apparated in a wooded area near the front gate to the school, which was at the end of a long drive in the outskirts of Salem. They walked quickly to the gate, where Lucius pulled out his wand and said, "Alohomora!" The gate swung open obligingly, admitting them to the grounds.

After a short walk to the front entrance, they entered the lobby, where a young wizard stood waiting for them.

"Mr Malfoy?" the wizard asked. After Lucius nodded, he said, "I'm Bartholomew Clamp, but you can call me Bart. I'm the teaching assistant to the potions professor. Allow me to show you to Dean Clinkscales' office."

A moment later, the young man ushered them into the cluttered, book-packed office of the school's headmistress. As they entered the dimly-lit office, a matronly witch in late middle age looked up from her desk, where she'd been working on her correspondence.

"Mr Malfoy, it's good to see you again," the witch said, rising to shake his hand. Turning to acknowledge Hermione, she extended her hand and said, "I'm Hepzibah Clinkscales, Dean of the Salem Institute."

"Hermione Granger," she said, taking the woman's hand to shake. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

"_The _Hermione Granger who was instrumental in helping to defeat Lord Voldemort?" the other witch asked.

"Errr, yes," she replied, embarrassed. "But it was Harry Potter who really did it. I only played a small part."

"That's not what I've heard," Dean Clinkscales said.

"Miss Granger is quite modest," Lucius said smoothly, looking down at his lover with genuine admiration. "But in reality, she is probably the most powerful British witch of her generation."

The older witch observed the body language between the two and wondered what the exact nature of their relationship was, as it was obvious to her that they were lovers. Keeping her observation to herself, she smiled and said, "Why don't we take that tour now?"

"By all means." Lucius said as he and Hermione followed Dean Clinkscales and Bartholomew Clamp back out into the hall.

Their first stop was the potions lab, which was currently empty of students. Hermione was suitably impressed to find a modern lab with all the equipment that one would expect to find in an accredited muggle university. Browsing a bookcase in the back of the room, she noted approvingly that several muggle texts about chemistry and biology were mixed in with the expected magical texts.

Sensing her interested approval, Bartholomew explained, "We've found that incorporating the muggle disciplines of chemistry and biology, among others, into our potions curriculum has allowed us greater flexibility and increased potency of most potions. Plus we've been able to make new potions previously unknown in the wizarding world."

"We also follow the mixed approach in most of our other classes as well, wherever possible and appropriate" Dean Clinkscales put in. "It's yielded many fruitful possibilities in wizarding theory with more breakthroughs surely on the horizon."

"I'm intrigued," Hermione said with genuine enthusiasm. "Please tell me more." She gave Lucius a brief, "See, I told you so!" look, which he acknowledged with a brief nod and a squeeze of her hand. He did not comment, but chose to listen attentively with as open of a mind as he could muster.

"We've been especially productive in the realm of potions and herbology," Dean Clinkscales said. "Some of our graduates have gone on to find employment in the muggle pharmaceutical industry, providing them with fresh new ideas that have increased the efficacy of their products. Indeed, the growing vitamin and herbal remedy branch of the pharmaceutical industry was largely spearheaded and developed by Salem graduates employed within that industry. The combination of muggle and wizarding knowledge in those areas has created products suitable for both populations."

"I must say that I'm impressed," Lucius said. "I daresay that many of your graduates have become quite prosperous and influential."

"Indeed," Dean Clinkscales agreed. "There is even one wizard who is currently the CEO of a major muggle pharmaceutical company."

"Do most American wizards live and work among muggles?" Lucius asked. "Surely not, as how would the secrecy of our world be maintained?"

"There are some exclusively wizarding enclaves, of course," she replied. "But we have a much higher percentage of muggleborns and half-bloods in America, so the majority of us live in muggle communities." She noted the incredulous expression on his face and continued, "The original American wizarding population came here in the 17th century and were mainly those from lesser pureblood families hoping to increase their fortunes and prominence in the New World."

"Of course, after the witch trial travesty of 1692, the wizarding population went underground for many years," she elaborated. "But the wizarding population was quite small, so eventually we ended up intermarrying with muggles until we inevitably ended up with a mainly mixed wizarding population. We had to do it to survive, even though we've had some infusion of purebloods from wizarding communities around the world over the years."

"I understand," Lucius said. "But how do you live amongst muggles and still maintain the confidentiality of the wizarding world?"

"We have a special class that addresses how to live successfully among muggles," she explained. "As in other classes, we incorporate muggle ideas, particularly that of psychology, sociology, diplomacy, and acting. Among other things, students are taught how to blend into the muggle population, how to explain away magical occurrences. and so on. Also included is a segment on dating tips for those witches and wizards who wish to have relationships with muggles, as it's inevitable, given our still small population. We even have an adjunct class to introduce new muggleborn students and their families to the wizarding world, stressing the importance of discretion as it relates to the magical family member and the wizarding world at large."

"How well has that worked?" Lucius asked.

"For the most part, it's worked well," she said. "Of course, there are glitches here and there, but that is to be expected in any realm of life." After a moment of thought, she admitted, "But there are some wizards and witches who disgree with the idea of entirely concealing our world from the muggle population."

Lucius raised an eyebrow at this. "Go on."

"There's one wizard, Harry Dresden, who lives in Chicago who openly advertises himself as a 'wizard detective'," she admitted. "He's a loose cannon, naturally, but he's been so effective at keeping the forces of dark magic at bay that we make allowances for him, especially as he only reveals as much of the wizarding world as is necessary to get the job done. He's even managed to create an effective working relationship with some members of the Chicago police, though most of them don't believe that he's really a wizard. And that's the key -- most American muggles will not see the truth of magic even when it hits them across the face."

"What is it about wizards named Harry?" Hermione wondered half-aloud, idly wishing she could meet Harry Dresden.

"Muggles do tend to see what they want to see," Lucius conceded. "I imagine that is a large part of how our world has managed to survive all these years."

"Exactly," Hepzibah agreed, smiling.

The group moved on, looking at other similarly modern classrooms, then to the grounds where one of the House teams was practicing on the Quidditch pitch.

"Which House is that?" Hermione asked, after being told that it was a House team.

"Those are the Alligators," Bart Clamp said. "That was my House when I was a student here."

"How many Houses are there?" she asked. "And how do you sort students into them?"

"There are the Alligators, the Pumas, the Eagles, and the Armadillos," he explained. As with other aspects of our curriculum, we borrowed from muggle ideas for our student placing system. Because our House system is based on putting students together based on personality traits, we give them the muggle Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to assess them. The MBTI has sixteen personality types, based on four temperament clusters. It works quite well, and it helps teachers to tailor their curricula, depending on which House they are teaching, that stresses the learning strengths of each temperament cluster."

"It sounds somewhat similar to our House system," Lucius conceded. "Our Sorting Hat places students into Houses which are also based roughly on four differing temperaments." After a pause, he ventured, "I would like to see how this Myers Briggs system would sort students as compared to the Sorting Hat."

"As would I," Hermione agreed, smiling up at her lover.

"I'd be happy to send back a copy of the master MBTI test with you to give to the Hogwarts headmistress if you like," Hepzibah said.

"Thank you," Hermione said. "I think Headmistress McGonagall would be most interested."

"I'll have Bart owl you a copy," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go, as I have another appointment. Bart will be happy to show you anything else you care to see."

"Thank you for the tour," Lucius said. "But I think we'll be going now, as we'd planned to visit the wizarding shopping district in Boston this afternoon."

"The Merlin Mall?" she asked.

"Yes, Draco had suggested it to us," he said. "He said it would compare favorably to our Diagon Alley."

"I think you'll be quite satisfied," she agreed. "I hate to cut this short, but I really must go now."

"Thanks so much again for the tour," Hermione said.

"You are very welcome," the older woman said, smiling. She then accompanied the British couple back to the lobby before taking her leave of them.

After apparating home to eat lunch with Draco, they left for Boston for an afternoon of shopping.

--  
A/N Thanks again to my reviewers. Your support keeps me writing  
A/N Harry Dresden is the title character from a series of books, The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher  
A/N The MBTI is a real personality typing system  
A/N There is a detailed companion blog entry for this chapter, that explains Harry Dresden further, goes into detail about the MBTI, includes a couple of MBTI/Herry Potter Sorting quizzes, and a picture of the Salem Institute. Access my blog from my profile.  
A/N Next Chapter: A Conception


	17. A Conception

Three days later, Draco returned to England for the Christmas holidays. Hermione was relieved to see him go, even though she and Draco had come to an uneasy understanding about her relationship with his father.

After the younger Malfoy had left, Lucius and Hermione quickly settled into a comfortable domestic life. They went sightseeing in several American cities, each time seeking out the wizarding districts, as well as muggle attractions. They'd also attended the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as Lucius discovered he had a taste for muggle classical music. In formal attire, the attractive magical couple drew many admiring glances when they attended such events

But mainly, they spent many hours deep in conversation, where they discovered, that despite their differences, they surprisingly had much more in common. Their differences were those of context, rather than of kind.

In particular, Hermione was thrilled to realize that Lucius valued learning for its own sake as much as she did and was a fellow bibliophile. She especially enjoyed those conversations that took place in the library about books and the ideas contained within.

"Knowledge is power, my dear," he'd explained when she'd pointed this out to him one night as they sat in the library after dinner. "The more you know, the harder it is to be bested by others."

"That's exactly how I feel," she said. "I've always believed that the more you learn, the better prepared you are to deal with whatever life throws at you."

"It's one of the things I value most in you," he assured her.

"Harry and Ron made use of my intelligence," she told him. "But they never really valued it for its own sake. Mostly, they just humored me. Neither one of them ever read a book simply for pleasure that I know of."

"Why does this not surprise me?" he said with a brief sneer. "The Weasleys, in particular, have always been obnoxiously anti-intellectual in my experience. They seem to wear their ignorance as a badge of honor."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but did not speak as she remembered that the only books she'd ever seen at the Burrow were school books and the many times Molly had told her that she studied too much. Lucius was right. Again.

Of course, not all of the interactions between Lucius and Hermione were of an intellectual nature. Because they wanted Hermione to get pregnant as soon as possible, they spent a great deal of time having sex in every imaginable way and place. And even this sometimes had an intellectual element to it.

One night in the library after dinner, Hermione had pulled a book off the shelf. "_Advanced Sex Magic_by Nola LaFontaine and Virgil Casanova," Hermione read out loud. "Casanova? That was the name of a famous muggle libertine in the 18th century."

"That Casanova was actually a wizard," Lucius informed her. "And this Casanova is his several times great grandson."

Hermione leafed through the book, which was quite explicit, as it was extensively illustrated with wizarding photos of couples and groups engaged in the sex acts described within. Also contained in the book were chapters about potions, charms, and spells to enhance one's sexual experiences.

"Oh, this is steamy," she said, blushing. "Is this where you learned how to be such a wonderful lover?"

Lucius chuckled briefly. "Not entirely," he said. "My father gave me this book when I came of age and I did make much use of it when Narcissa and I were first married. But I've learned quite a bit from different sources since that time."

Hermione showed him a picture showing a particular position they'd not yet tried. "I'd like to try it this way," she said.

"Your wish is my command," he said after taking a brief glance at the picture in question. Taking her hand, he said, "No time like the present..."

"I couldn't agree more," she said, tucking the book under her arm to take upstairs with them.

And so Hermione wore Lucius out for the rest of the night, as she made him try one position after the other, until they both dropped off to sleep in exhausted sated contentment.

--

Several days before Christmas, Hermione woke up feeling nauseated. She didn't think anything about it at first, assuming that it must have been something she'd eaten the night before. But when she continued having the morning nausea, she suspected that she might be pregnant. She'd not wanted to say anything to Lucius until she was reasonably sure, as she didn't want to get his hopes up prematurely.

Finally, on Christmas Eve morning, she couldn't keep it to herself any longer. Hermione had awakened before the sun rose, her stomach roiling. She'd slipped out of bed carefully so as not to wake Lucius and shut the door to the bathroom behind her, so she could vomit in peace.

When she returned to bed, she found Lucius sitting up in bed, looking at her with concern. "How long has this been going on?" he asked quietly.

"Nearly a week," Hermione replied. "I think I might be pregnant, but I didn't want to say anything until I was sure."

"Let's find out," he said, reaching for his wand. Pointing it at her stomach, he said, "_Estigravida!_" Instantly, her abdomen was bathed in a warm orange glow.

Lucius didn't say anything, but a silly grin spread over his face.

"Well?" Hermione demanded.

"You are very much pregnant," Lucius said with a big smile. "If you'd not been pregnant, my spell would not have produced that glow." Taking her into his arms, he murmured, "I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift."

"It's _our _Christmas present," she said, hugging him tightly. A moment later, Lucius captured her mouth with his own; the news of their impending parenthood only served to increase their desire for one another. The happy couple ended up spending the rest of the morning in bed, making love.

--

Christmas Day was rather anticlimactic after the news of Christmas Eve. The expectant couple enjoyed a quietly content Christmas by themselves.

After having a sumptuous breakfast, they opened gifts by the Christmas tree.

"You go first," Hermione told Lucius.

"All right," he said. He chose a rather small package to open first. Inside the small box was a gold robe clasp, made in a coiled snake pattern with the two intertwined snakes having turquoise heads. "Thank you, Hermione," he said smiling. "This will go perfectly with my lighter colored robes."

"And this will be a memento of our American trip," she told him. "I bought it that day we visited the Merlin Mall."

"No wonder you told me to go on without you for a few minutes after we visited that jewelry store," he said. Reaching under the tree, he extracted a box for Hermione of similar size. Handing it to her, he said. "And I went ahead and visited another jewelry store that day."

Hermione opened the box to find three platinum rings inside. Two were matching bands with the Celtic triquetra rune engraved in a repeating pattern circling the bands. The third ring had a square, medium blue sapphire, flanked by two round diamonds, with rune symbols on either side of the diamonds.

Lucius plucked the ring set with gemstones out of the box, then took Hermione's right hand, which was where the Ministry had decreed that consort rings should go. He slipped it onto her ring finger, then tapped it with his wand, while continuing to hold her hand with his other hand. A red glow emanated from the ring, then encircled both their hands with a faintly electric tingle.

"_Paternus Agnosco!" _Lucius intoned solemnly, then tapped his wand three times, saying, "_Mater , Parvulus , Pater"._

"I just acknowledged paternity of our child and bound us three together," Lucius explained. "It is my unbreakable promise to publicly acknowledge you and our child and to support you both for as long as we all should live." Gesturing to the matching bands, he said, "We'll put those on when we make our public vows as consorts at the Ministry." He took her beringed hand, bestowing a kiss on it, "But as far as I'm concerned, that's just a formality. Our commitment began the instant you conceived."

"The ring is beautiful," she said. "I'm overwhelmed. How did you know I love sapphires?"

"I didn't," he said. "But I chose the sapphire because you were born in September. The two diamonds represent our relationship."

"You've got good taste," she told him, unsurprised that this was so.

Indicating the pile of presents that still remained under the tree, Lucius said, "You've got lots more to unwrap."

"So do you," she said, smiling.

Needing no more encouragement, the couple proceeded to to unwrap the remaining gifts. Knowing her tastes, Lucius had given Hermione several rare books on a wide variety of magical topics. Also included were various items of clothing, including lingerie, perfume, other jewelry items, and a framed portrait of them together in a size suitable for her nightstand.

Hermione, not quite as sure of what he would like, had given him several muggle books about topics they'd discussed over the last month, a small portrait of herself for his wallet, a silk night robe. and a pair of cuff links to match his robe clasp.

When they were settled in bed later that night, Hermione turned to Lucius and said, "There's something I've been meaning to bring up with you. And now that I'm pregnant, now is as good a time as any."

"Yes?" Lucius asked, curious.

"Do you mind if I go by Granger-Malfoy once we've registered as consorts?" she asked, somewhat timidly. "I want a name that acknowledges our bond, but also acknowledges my independent life as well."

"No, I don't mind at all," Lucius said. "Actually, I prefer it. It would be confusing if you were Malfoy only, as Narcissa is Mrs Malfoy. I'm guessing that she wouldn't be keen on sharing that title. And I wouldn't like you being Granger only, because that doesn't acknowledge our bond."

"I'm so glad you understand," Hermione said, obviously relieved.

"Our children, however, will be Malfoys only," he said firmly. "They will share equal status with Draco and their name will reflect that." He thought it needless to mention that no children of his would bear any part of a muggle name.

"I have no problem with that," she conceded.

Changing the subject, he said, "Now that you've conceived, are you ready to return to England? We should make our relationship official as quickly as possible."

"Yes, I think so," she said. "The sooner we do that, the sooner we can get on with our lives." Heaving a deep sigh, she added, "And I think the longer we're gone, the bigger chance there is of the Weasleys finding out that I really didn't go to Australia. We're pushing it now as it is."

"You realize that once we've signed the registry the cat will be out of the bag," he told her. "You'll have to tell them the truth right after that, you know. I think telling your parents would also be in order -- and I really should meet them at some point in the future."

"I know," she agreed. "I'm just not looking forward to Molly's reaction. I don't imagine she'll take it well."

Lucius lost it at this point, braying with laughter at the thought of the Weasley matriarch's reaction. He couldn't wait to see it.

"I'm serious, Lucius!" she said. "I will likely lose her friendship over this."

Leaving unsaid the thought that getting Molly Weasley out of her life would be good riddance to bad rubbish, he merely said, "Ah, Hermione, she'll eventually get over it. I'd imagine that once the baby is born, she won't be able to resist making up with you."

"I hope so," Hermione said. "I don't imagine Dad and Mum will be exactly thrilled, either, but they'll likely deal with it better than the Weasleys will."

"I would hope so," he said.

"Now that this is settled, I think we'll leave on the 27th, so as to get home in time for New Year's."

"That works for me," she agreed.

"Excellent," he said. With a wave of his wand, he turned the lights off for the night, then reached for Hermione to say goodnight properly.  
--

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers. I appreciate all of you.  
A/N: There's a new entry at my blog "Christmas With Lucius and Hermione". As always, the blog can be accessed from my profile page.  
A/N: Next Chapter: A Bonding


	18. A Bonding

Two days later, Lucius and Hermione stepped into the library fireplace to floo back to Malfoy Manor. When they materialized inside their destination fireplace, they found Narcissa and her sister, Andromeda, inside the library having tea. Andromeda's grandson, Teddy, was in a playpen in the corner of the room being tended by a female house elf named Snappy.

"I take it that Miss Granger has conceived?" Narcissa said as soon and Lucius and Hermione had stepped into the room, brushing soot off their clothing.

"Yes," Lucius replied briefly. "We found out just the other night."

Andromeda Tonks was entirely unsurprised by this news, as she and her sister had talked about little else while the couple had been in America.

"Congratulations," Narcissa said to Hermione, not without sincerity. "You're in for quite an experience once you become a mother."

"Thank you," Hermione said, feeling awkward. Spying little Teddy Lupin in his playpen, she walked over to fuss over him. She turned to Andromeda and said, "May I hold him."

"Of course, dear," the older woman said, smiling. She watched indulgently as Hermione picked up the baby and began cooing at him.

Lucius watched her as well, imagining her holding their own baby in a few month's time. After a moment, he said, "And now that she's pregnant, Hermione and I plan to go to the Ministry of Magic today to make our relationship official."

"You'll need witnesses," Narcissa said in a quiet, but firm voice. "Andromeda and I will go with you to the Ministry."

"You don't have to do that, you know," Lucius said, squeezing his wife's hand, his wife's inherent dignity reminding him yet again of why he loved her.

"I know I don't _have _to," Narcissa assured him. "I want to do this. We're a family and Malfoys always stick together."

Lucius was at a loss for words, so touched was he by the extent of his wife's loyalty. Instead, he took her into his arms, then kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you," he murmured. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

Instead of being jealous at the long-time couple's display of affection, Hermione was impressed by the obvious indication of the depth of their bond. The idea of a consort relationship existing alongside and concurrent to marriage would be one that would take a lot of adjustments to get used to, but if the Malfoys were any indication, it was surely something that would prove workable for those willing to work at it.

After Lucius released Narcissa, Hermione turned to her and said in a near whisper, "Thank you Mrs Malfoy. Your support means a lot to me."

"I think it's about time you called me Narcissa," she said firmly. "After all, you're joining the family now."

"Narcissa," she repeated. feeling distinctly uncomfortable. "And, of course, you must call me Hermione."

Clearing his throat, Lucius said, "The Ministry closes at six, so we'd better get moving if we're going to get there before they close. Hermione and I will stop at the penthouse to change into something more appropriate and we'll meet you both there in a hour." After a pause, he said to Narcissa, "Where is Draco? I think he should be a witness as well."

"He's visiting Greg Goyle," Narcissa said. "But I will make sure he's there with us."

"Good," Lucius said. Motioning for Hermione to step back into the fireplace, he said to his wife, "We'll see you then."

A moment later, the couple had materialized in the library fireplace in their penthouse.

"We need to change and get down to the Ministry as soon as possible," Lucius told Hermione as soon as they'd stepped into the room. "I took the liberty of arranging to have several formal outfits sent over from Twilfitt and Tatting's before we left for America. The seamstress assured me that she'd be able to send something that you'd like based on the selections you'd made for your wardrobe." Heaving a sigh, he concluded, "And if there's nothing quite to your liking, you're always free to transfigure an outfit into something you like better."

"You've thought of everything," Hermione said. "I'm sure I'll find something I'll like."

Moments later, Hermione was surveying her side of the closet, now full of new clothes. She pulled out several outfits to consider, but finally settled on a white gown with a Renaissance-style bodice, then chose a formal white velvet hooded robe to go with it.

"Yes, I like that," Lucius said when she showed him her selection. "It's perfect."

Hermione took the outfit into the bathroom to change. "I'll be just a few minutes," she told him.

"All right," he said. "I'll change out here."

When she emerged twenty minutes later, Lucius was changed and ready for her. He wore an expensive black suit, covered by a formal robe in deep hunter green with black trim. He looked every inch the scion of an old pureblood family that he was.

His face lit up when he saw Hermione. "Beautiful," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "I want to ravish you right now, but we'll never get to the Ministry if I do."

"I can hardly keep my hands off you, myself," she admitted with a wicked grin.

"Plenty of time for that later on," he promised her. "I don't imagine either of us will get much sleep tonight."

"I'll hold you to that," she said.

"We'd better get going if we're going to get to the Ministry before they close," he said.

Ten minutes later, the couple stepped out of the floo into a corridor in the Ministry of Magic. There were few people about, as it was well after lunch, so their arrival went largely unnoticed. They'd flooed into the same corridor where the Repopulation Department was located.

"This is it," Hermione said, taking a deep breath, as they reached the door to the Repopulation Department.

Lucius smiled down at her and said, "Let's do it."

Opening the door, they entered the reception area of the Ministry's newest department. A single receptionist sat at a desk shuffling paperwork as they came in, with the door to an inner office directly behind her.

"May I help you?" Hortense Stubblebean said. It was all the young receptionist could do to keep her jaw from hanging open in shock at the sight of this unlikely couple.

"Miss Granger and I wish to register with the Ministry as consorts," Lucius said smoothly. As he spoke, the door opened again, admitting Narcissa, Draco, and Andromeda.

"Excuse me for a moment," Hortense said after handing the couple the necessary forms to fill out. "I won't be but a moment." The young woman then disappeared into the inner office, closing the door behind her.

She reappeared a moment later, bringing Mafalda Hopkirk, the director of the Repopulation Department, with her.

"Mr Malfoy. Miss Granger," Madame Hopkirk greeted the couple. "I understand you wish to register a consort relationship together?"

"That's right," Lucius said in a tone of voice that would brook no dissension. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no, not at all!" Mafalda said with a smile. "It's just that you and Miss Granger are the very first couple to respond to the Ministry's suggestion." Noticing Narcissa, Draco, and Andromeda sitting in the waiting area, she asked, "Am I correct to presume that the rest of your family supports your union?"

"You are," Narcissa said, rising to stand by Lucius.

"Wonderful!" Madame Hopkirk said, her smile growing ever wider. "Your union, as you both were prominent on either side of the last war, is an excellent example of how we all should put the past behind us and help to repopulate the wizarding world together as a united magical society.

Lucius smiled at the middle-aged woman for the first time. He'd found himself an unexpected ally, who could only help move along his desire to rebuild his influence in wizarding society. "I couldn't agree more, Madame Hopkirk."

"I hope your example will encourage other hesitant couples to step forward and support this measure," she added. Sighing loudly, she turned to Hermione and said, "I must say that you and Mr Malfoy make an exceptionally attractive couple." Now gushing, she turned to Narcissa and Draco. "And your support of Lucius and Hermione can only set an good example for other families to follow!"

Narcissa smiled back at the other woman, but Draco looked as if he wanted to sink into the ground. He understood what his father was doing was necessary and he'd stand by him, but he didn't see any need to go overboard about it.

Turning again to Lucius, Mafalda asked, "Would you mind if I invited Kingsley Shacklebolt to serve as Bonder? After all, the idea of granting consort relationships legal status was his idea and I'm sure he'd like to preside over the first one."

"By all means," Lucius said in a genial tone. He made a mental note to further cultivate Mafalda Hopkirk in the near future as a useful ally in the Ministry.

"I'd be honored to have him here," Hermione added. She'd always liked Kingsley and his presence would help soften the fact that her friends would not be here to support her.

Turning to Hortense Stubblebean, Mafalda said, "Would you please go down and ask Kingsley to come down here right away?"

"Yes, ma'am," the younger woman said, rushing off to carry out her wishes. She returned within five minutes, with Kingsley Shacklebolt in tow.

Looking at the group before him with one raised eyebrow, he said, "Hortense said you needed to see me right away?"

"Yes, Kingsley," she replied. Gesturing toward Lucius and Hermione, she explained, "Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger are here to register as our first consort couple. I thought you might want serve as the Bonder for their vows."

Kingsley couldn't think of a less likely couple if he tried, but he kept his opinion to himself. If Lucius Malfoy, of all people, was willing to enter into a consort union with a muggleborn witch, then surely other pureblood-muggleborn matches would follow. In the same vein, if one of the Golden Trio was willing to join with a former Death Eater, then perhaps true healing was possible in the wizarding world. He touched Hermione's mind briefly with legilimency and could see no evidence of the Imperius spell having been used on her -- she was truly willing.

"Yes, I'd be pleased," he said, smiling at the couple. "Are we ready to begin?"

"Yes," Lucius and Hermione said in unison.

"Take your places, then" Kingsley said. "Face one another and join hands, left to left, right to right." After a pause, he said, "Oh, I almost forgot. Do you have rings to symbolize your relationship?"

"Yes," Lucius said, producing a small box from inside his robe."

"You'll want to each place a ring on your consort's right ring finger before we begin, so they can be infused with magic," the other man explained. He waited a moment as Lucius and Hermione did as he'd instructed.

Once the couple had joined hands, he said, "Is there anyone here who objects to this Bonding?"

"No," Narcissa replied for her and Draco. "We stand here to give our support."

"Then lets begin," he said, nodding at Lucius, indicating that he should go first.

"I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, stand here before the Minister of Magic, and my wife and son, to promise you, Hermione Jane Granger, to join with you in Blessed Consort Union," Lucius began. "I promise to stand by you, support you and any children you bear me in every way: financially, emotionally, and magically, for as long as we both shall live. I now publicly claim and acknowledge before these witnesses and the rest of the wizarding world that the life you now carry within you is of my seed, my blood, and is my heir. I now claim you as my consort. So mote it be!"

Kingsley then tapped his wand once on Lucius' right hand, then to Hermione's right hand. As he did so, a bolt of blue magical light shot out from the tip, wrapping itself around their joined right hands.

"I, Hermione Jane Granger, stand here before the Minister of Magic, and the gathered witnesses, to promise you, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, to join with you in Blessed Consort Union," she intoned. "I promise to stand by you, support you and any children I bear you in every way, financially, emotionally, and magically, for as long as we both shall live. I now publicly claim and acknowledge before these witnesses and the rest of the wizarding world that the life I now carry within me is of your seed, your blood, and is your heir. I now claim you as my consort. So mote it be!"

Kingsley repeated the wand movements he'd done after Lucius' vows, this time tapping his wand in turn on the couple's left hands. As before, a bolt of blue light shot out and wrapped itself around their joined left hands, then entered both their rings.

"With the authority given to me as Minister of Magic, I now bless this union in the name of the Ministry of Magic, the Wizengamot and the wizarding world. Lucius and Hermione, you are now bonded in Blessed Consort Union." He tapped all four hands in turn, after which a red bolt of magical light shot out of his wand, then encircled all four hands.

He then stepped back, as Lucius publicly claimed his consort, leaning to give her a lingering, passionate kiss.

When they finally came up for air, Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped forward to shake their hands in turn. "Congratulations. May you have many healthy children and many years of happiness!"

"Thank you," Lucius and Hermione said, almost in unison.

Indicating the Consort Registry book that stood open before them on the table, the Minister of Magic said, "Now, if you'll do the honors and christen this book with your signatures."

Lucius took the quill that Shacklebolt had extended to him, he quickly signed his name in a bold, angular hand. Passing it to Hermione, he watched as she wrote "Hermione Jane Granger-Malfoy" for the first time. Narcissa and Andromeda then signed as witnesses, with Shacklebolt signing last as Bonder.

As the bonding party left a few minutes later, the corridor was suddenly full of people who stared in goggle-eyed disbelief as they witnessed their departure. Voices were still buzzing excitedly in gossip as Lucius and Hermione flooed back to the penthouse.

A/N: Thanks again to all my faithful readers  
A/N: There are two new entries in my blog: "Lucius: A Change In Perspective, Not Personality" and "Hermione's Bonding Outfit". As usual, the blog can be accessed from my profile.  
A/N: Next Chapter: A Lie Exposed


	19. A Lie Exposed

The next morning, Hermione Granger-Malfoy awakened suddenly, fearing that she'd overslept. She and Lucius had engaged in sex until the wee hours, finally falling asleep in sheer exhaustion.

She'd intended to go to Grimmauld Place first thing in the morning to collect Crookshanks and to finally tell Harry and the Weasleys about her relationship with Lucius before they learned of it from someone else.

Because of the heavy curtains covering the windows in their bedroom, Hermione couldn't tell just what time it was. She slipped out of bed and walked over to one window, parting it to look outside. From the position of the sun, she saw that it was late morning.

"Oh, noooo!" she murmured. "I overslept!"

Lucius awakened at the sound of her voice. "Come back to bed, Hermione," he said, his voice still thick with sleep.

"I need to get over to Grimmauld Place before the Weasleys find out about our Bonding," she said. "I don't want them to hear about it before I can tell them myself."

Looking out the window where Hermione still had the curtain open, he observed, "I'd say it's probably already too late for that. You might as well come back to bed and I'll help you start the day off the right way. The damage is done, so you might as well take your time going over there."

"You're probably right," she said miserably. "It's not as if telling them earlier this morning would have made them like it any better, anyway."

As she crawled back under the covers next to him, he reached for her and said, "Let me help you forget about it for awhile." She slipped eagerly into his embrace, and soon lost herself in the magic of shared passion.

--

Earlier that morning, Kenneth and Jane Granger arrived at Heathrow airport. They'd opted not to stay in Australia as they were too homesick for England. But instead of calling ahead to inform Hermione of their plans, they'd decided on the spur of the moment to just come home and surprise Hermione as a late Christmas/early New Year's present.

After returning home to drop off their luggage, they went into London to contact Hermione. Years ago, when Hermione had first started attending Hogwarts, she'd given them a special phone number to call any time they wanted to initiate contact with her; to be used when an owl was not available. The phone number could only be accessed from what appeared to be an out of order muggle phone booth, which was located near the muggle-side entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Muggle-Wizard Communication Service," a voice answered after Kenneth Granger had dialed the number from the slip of paper. "This is Arabella Figg speaking. How many I help you?" The communication service that had been set up to meet the needs of muggle parents and their muggleborn magical offspring had been devised and was run entirely by squibs living in the muggle world, who kept owls for that purpose.

"This is Kenneth Granger," he said, "I'm Hermione Granger's father. I don't have an exact address for her, but she's staying with Harry Potter and I need to get a message to her."

"Certainly," Mrs Figg said. "What do you wish to say?"

"Tell her that her parents have just arrived back in England and are waiting for her at the phone booth near the Leaky Cauldron," he said.

After repeating the message back to him to make sure she'd gotten it right, she said, "I'll send it off right away. It shouldn't be too long."

"Thank you very much," he said. "We'll be waiting."

After Arabella Figg hung up with Kenneth Granger, she quickly wrote the note he'd dictated to her, then paused before addressing it. Mr Granger seemed uncertain as to exactly where his daughter lived, so she decided to address it to Harry Potter to make sure it reached its destination. If Hermione wasn't there, he'd be sure to know how to contact her.

Harry Potter was sitting at the breakfast table with the Weasleys when Arabella Figg's owl appeared at the kitchen window. Molly, who was at the sink near the window, opened the window to let it in. It immediately flew over to Harry to drop its message, then flew back out the way it had come.

"Well, that's strange," Harry said, scratching his head, after reading the short note. Turning to the group, he explained, "This note is from Hermione's parents...and it's for Hermione! They've just arrived back in England and they sent a note to her saying that they're waiting for her at the phone booth outside the Leaky Cauldron!"

"What?" Molly exclaimed. "She told us she was going to Australia to spend Christmas with them. And you say they're looking for her _here_? I don't understand."

"Maybe you and I should go meet the Grangers and bring them back here with Side-Along Apparition, so we can sort this all out," Arthur said quietly.

"That's a good idea," Harry said. "Let's go."

A few minutes later, Harry and Arthur apparated behind a dumpster in a deserted alley half a block down from the Leaky Cauldron. They slipped out of the alley and immediately spotted Hermione's parents waiting by the phone booth.

"Harry," Jane Granger said. "Mr Weasley." Her gaze extended past them, looking for Hermione. "Where's Hermione?"

"We were going to ask you the same thing," Arthur told them. "She told us nearly a month ago that she was going to Australia for Christmas and we've not seen nor heard from her since then."

"I don't understand," Kenneth Granger said. "We've not heard from her in a long while and she certainly didn't spend Christmas with us."

"Why don't you both come back to Grimmauld Place with us, and we'll try to figure it out there," Arthur said. "Molly is cooking breakfast for you -- I imagine you're hungry after your long trip."

"Yes,yes, we are," Jane said with a worried expression. "Thank you."

"We're going to take you there by Side-Along Apparition, so we'll need to nip into this alley so no one sees us disappear," Harry explained.

"All right," Kenneth said nervously, taking his wife's hand as they followed the wizards into the alley.

Once they were all seated around the kitchen table a few moments later, Jane Granger turned to Molly and asked, "What's going on? Arthur said that Hermione had told you that she was spending Christmas in Australia. But we've not seen nor heard from her at all!"

Before Molly could answer, another owl appeared at the window, bringing the _Daily Prophet_. No one paid attention to it as it pecked on the window asking to be let inside.

Finally, Charlie Weasley stood up to open the window to allow the bird to deliver the paper. He returned to his seat, opening the paper to glance at the headlines as he did so. After reading the top story and skimming the paragraphs below, he said, "Uh, I think you'll all want to see this."

"Not now, Charlie!" Molly snapped. "Can't you see we're busy here? Hermione is missing!"

Ignoring his mother, he handed the paper to his father and said firmly. "Read this!"

Arthur sensed the urgency in his son's tone. He took the paper, read a few lines, then said quietly, "I've found Hermione."

A/N Thanks to all my reviewers, old and new. I appreciate the time you take to read and review my story  
A/N Next Chapter: The Truth Revealed


	20. The Truth Revealed

All conversation ceased at Arthur's announcement. Now that he had everyone's attention, he read the abnormally long headline of the pertinent article, _"Former Death Eater and Prominent Pureblood Wizard, Lucius Malfoy, Publicly Takes Hermione Granger, Friend of the Boy Who Lived, As His Consort in a Bonding Ceremony at the Ministry of Magic." _A photo of Lucius and Hermione engaged in the post-ceremony kiss accompanied the article, which had been written by none other than Rita Skeeter.

Arthur put the paper down in shock, completely speechless at the news.

"Who is Lucius Malfoy?" Kenneth Granger asked.

"He's a former Death Eater," Harry said. "The Death Eaters were the dark wizards who fought on Voldemort's side. Lucius Malfoy was practically Voldemort's right hand man."

"Then why isn't he in that wizard prison that Hermione told us about -- Azkaban?" he demanded.

"It's because he and his wife turned against Voldemort during the last year of the war because Voldemort had threatened their son," Harry explained. "Narcissa Malfoy saved my life, actually." After a pause, he said, "But the man is still dangerous, in my opinion."

"He's married, too?" Jane Granger exclaimed. "How could he legally bond with Hermione then?"

"It's a long story," Harry said, heaving a loud sigh.

While Harry spoke, Charlie had taken the paper back from his father and began reading the article to himself as his parents and the Grangers absorbed the shocking news:

_"As the author of this article I must say that when I first heard of the Ministry's plan to encourage purebloods to breed with mudbloods -- excuse me, muggleborns (I must be politically correct!) -- I never expected that such an odd couple would the first to step forward. Inquiring minds want to know how such mismatched people got together._

_It isn't surprising that Lucius Malfoy would want to take a consort -- indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if he took ten consorts. Malfoy, who is known as "Luscious Lucius" in certain pureblood circles, has been commonly known as a compulsive womanizer for many years. Several prominent witches have been rumored to have been his lovers at various times over the last 20 years. But what else would one expect of a man whose very surname means "bad faith", i.e. "unfaithful" in French?_

_What does surprise this author is his choice of Hermione Granger, of all people. What could such a man of the world see in this buck toothed, bushy haired, pushy busybody who fought at the right hand of Harry Potter, and who stood for everything that pureblood wizards despise? _

_And what would the uptight, holier-than-thou Miss Granger, or shall I say Mrs. Granger-Malfoy, see in the so recently former Death Eater who was practically the right hand man to You Know Who? Granted, Lucius Malfoy has been voted Britain's Sexiest Wizard several times over by the readers of Witch Weekly, but considering the fact that Mrs Granger-Malfoy had been betrothed to Ronald Weasley before his unfortunate demise, one would think that looks and intelligence did not matter to the young woman._

_Could it be that Malfoy, whose name and reputation is now sadly tarnished as a former Death Eater, is using Harry Potter's know-it-all friend as a ticket back to respectability and influence? I'm quite sure that the ruthless wizard would not be above casting an Imperius on the hapless Hermione in order to achieve his goals. And I'd be unsurprised if the equally ambitious Gryffindor witch isn't above the hypocrisy of conveniently dispensing with her moral ideals in order to get her hands on the Malfoy fortune, as well as a permanent spot in the bed of Luscious Lucius. I can't say that I blame her, as this is certainly better than being consigned to the permanent poverty that would have awaited her as a Weasley wife. Anonymous sources have also told me that the young witch is quite likely already pregnant._

_Inquiring minds want to know."_

Charlie threw down the paper in disgust. While he was just as shocked and disappointed at the news as the rest of the family no doubt was, his disgust was more for Rita Skeeter, who seemed to delight in stirring up trouble.

Jane Granger spoke first. "Did that article say where they were going to live?"

"No," Charlie replied.

"We need to find her right away," Molly said firmly. "There's no telling how long he's had her under the Imperius." After thinking for a few moments, she said, "She'd been going out much more often for several weeks before telling us she was going to Australia."

"And she'd seem much more happier in that same time," Harry put in.

Ginny, who'd risen late and had entered the room just as Arthur had read the headline aloud, said nothing. She instinctively knew that Hermione hadn't been Imperiused and was with that slimeball Malfoy of her own free will. The young witch was disgusted with Hermione for spreading her legs for the bastard who'd almost gotten her killed, but she decided to keep silent. Ginny didn't want to deal with her mother's reaction to the knowledge that she'd known for nearly a month that Hermione had lied to them and didn't speak up.

"She'd visited Flourish and Blotts several times," Molly said, thinking out loud. "And she'd eaten lunch one day with Padma Patil -- or so she told me."

"Let's check with them -- perhaps they've seen her with Malfoy and know where she's living," Arthur said.

"What about Malfoy Manor?" Harry asked. "Shouldn't we send an owl there?"

"We will if it's necessary," Arthur said. "But not until we've exhausted other possibilities. Anyway, I don't think Hermione is there as I can't imagine Narcissa Malfoy would consent to such a living arrangement. Remember that Malfoy is a billionaire and can afford to give Hermione her own home."

"I'll send an owl to Padma," Ginny said. "Maybe Hermione mentioned her plans to her." She could at least do that to make up for not coming forward earlier.

"The rest of us are going to go to Diagon Alley to see what we can come up with," Molly said. "You can join us there when you get an answer from Padma."

A short time later, the group had flooed to Diagon Alley. "Let's try Flourish and Blotts first," Arthur said. "I'll go in and ask and the rest of you wait outside on the odd chance that Hermione shows up in Diagon Alley today."

After Mr Weasley had gone into the small bookstore, the group talked among themselves to pass the time, still in shock over how Hermione could have ended up with Lucius Malfoy, of all people. The Grangers, feeling uncomfortable as muggles in the magical street and being worried about their daughter, said little.

"She's not thinking straight," Harry insisted. "She'd been in a bad way ever since Ron died; she was vulnerable. That loser Malfoy probably saw that and took advantage of her."

"I still say she was Imperiused," Molly insisted. "The Hermione we know wouldn't give the likes of Lucius Malfoy the time of day with her own free will, no matter how depressed she was."

Arthur returned less than five minutes later. "I talked to the clerk and asked if he'd seen Hermione, either alone or in the company of Lucius Malfoy," he said. "He said he'd seen her one time several weeks ago -- and she was with Lucius then. They were coming down the stairs from the upper level when he saw them."

"Did you ask how they were getting along?" Molly demanded.

"Yes," Arthur said. "He said they were just talking quietly and nothing seemed to be wrong."

Before Molly could comment, Ginny apparated in front of the group.

"Well?" Molly asked. "What did Padma say?"

"She said she hadn't seen nor heard from Hermione since the day Harry killed You Know Who!" Ginny reported.

"She lied to us about going to Australia, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised she lied about this, too," Molly said, her voice heavy with disappointment.

"There's no point in going to George's shop," Arthur decided. "George surely would have told us if he'd seen Hermione with Lucius or heard any talk about it." After a pause, he said, "Let's go to the Leaky Cauldron next. Everyone that comes to Diagon Alley eventually ends up in there."

A few minutes later, the group filed into the Leaky Cauldron, taking seats at a long table in the middle of the room. As the group talked among themselves, Arthur went over to the bar to speak to the barman.

"I've got a question for you," Arthur asked the other man. "In the last month or so, have you seen Hermione Granger in here and if you did, was she ever in the company of Lucius Malfoy?"

"Quite a few times," the barman confirmed. "I figured he was having an affair with her, the way they carried on." Indicating the copy of the _Daily Prophet _on the counter beside him, he said, "So, when I read that they'd gotten bonded in one of those new consort relationships, I wasn't surprised."

"When was the last time you saw them," Arthur asked.

"Yesterday evening," the other man said, pointing toward the stairs.

"They took one of your rooms?" Arthur said, incredulous. He couldn't imagine the snobbish Lucius Malfoy even taking a one night stand to one of the shabby rooms the bar offered for rent.

"No, no," the barman said. "Mr Malfoy has a penthouse on the top of this building. They've not come down yet this morning, so I imagine they're still up there."

"Can you tell me where it is?" Arthur asked.

"I'll have to show you," the barman said. "Give me a minute and I'll take you there myself."

Arthur went over to the table and told the group what he'd learned. Molly immediately jumped up, "I'm going to give that bastard a piece of my mind!"

The rest of the group got up to follow Molly and Arthur upstairs. The barman signalled that he was ready to show them where the entrance to the penthouse was, so they followed him upstairs, breathless in anticipation of the confrontation soon to come.

They were a bit shocked when the barman led them to the dingy broom closet, but that died away once he opened the panel in back to reveal the opulent stairway behind it.

"Thanks, we can take it from here," Arthur said, once the panel was opened. The barman retreated gratefully, not eager to tangle with the likes of Lucius Malfoy.

With Molly and Arthur in the lead, the group quickly ascended the stairs.

--  
A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers, you're all great!  
A/N: A new entry in my journal, "Dirty Laundry". As usual the blog can be accessed from my profile  
A/N: The next chapter is the the one you've all been waiting for -- "The Crap Hits the Fan"


	21. The Crap Hits the Fan

Once they'd reached the landing, Molly rushed up to the door, lifted the coiled snake knockers and rapped loudly several times. There was a long pause, so she knocked again.

Finally, the door opened slowly to reveal Hermione, clad only in a rumpled, spaghetti-strapped, short nightgown that only served to call attention to the several love bites on her neck. She stared in wide-eyed shock at the group on the landing, not noticing her parents standing in back.

"Oh, thank goodness we found you," Molly said, reaching to grab Hermione's hand. "Let's get out of here before that bastard realizes you're gone."

The young woman jerked her arm back, avoiding the older woman's grasp. At that moment, Lucius appeared behind her, wearing only a pair of silk pajama bottoms that rode low on his hips. Putting his arms around her from behind in a possessive gesture, he said in a deceptively calm voice, "What's going on here?"

The Grangers, standing behind the Weasleys, looked at each other in fearful apprehension. This was the same man who'd gotten into a fistfight with Arthur in the bookstore just before Hermione's second year.

"We're here to check on Hermione's welfare," Arthur said firmly, looking Malfoy straight in the eye. "We read in the _Daily Prophet _that you and she entered into a consort relationship, and we want to make sure that she did so of her own free will. I wouldn't put it past you to cast an Imperius on her."

Lucius regarded Arthur with a crocodilian smile. "Not that it's any of your business, Weasley," he said lazily, "But feel free to use your wand to check, if that will make you feel better. You'll see that she's not acting under the influence of any spells."

Arthur did so, and soon discovered that Lucius was telling the truth. His miserable expression at this discovery only delighted Lucius Malfoy.

"Satisfied?" Lucius asked. When he heard no reply, he drawled, "Now, if you'll all excuse us, Mrs Granger-Malfoy and I will return to what we were doing when you so rudely interrupted us." The suggestive expression on his face left no doubt to the group that they'd interrupted the couple in the middle of sex.

"No, I'm not satisfied," Molly Weasley said, unable to restrain herself any longer. Looking up, eyes narrowed in disgust for the smug wizard standing before her, she spat out, "You vile predatory goat! How _dare_ you molest our little Hermione!"

Before she could continue, Hermione turned on her, eyes blazing, losing her temper. "I'm not your 'little Hermione'! I'm a grown woman and I can make my own choices!" Taking Lucius' hand, she continued, "He didn't 'molest' me or take advantage of me! We chose each other! We want each other! Lucius is good to me -- he treats me like a queen!" Pausing to gulp a lungful of air, she continued, "If you'd have had your way, I'd have married George or Charlie or Percy. It didn't matter who to you or that none of us were attracted to each other. Just as long as I married one of them and you could keep me under your thumb forever, you'd be happy! I didn't tell you about us because I knew you'd react this way!" She emphasized her point by reaching up to kiss Lucius on the cheek.

After a moment of stunned silence, Molly finally understood that Hermione had indeed acted of her own free will, which stung her more than the notion that Hermione had been acting under the influence of the Imperius spell. Looking at Hermione as if seeing her for the first time, she said, "How _dare_ you shame Ron's memory by letting this filthy bastard put his hands on you! It's because of his kind that Ron is dead in the first place! I thought we'd taught you better than that! You're nothing but a..."

Lucius had had enough of Molly Weasley's mouth. He pulled his wand and quickly cast a silencing spell on her, cutting her off in mid-rant. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to insult my consort in that fashion in front of her own home," he said casually. Turning to Arthur with a supercilious smirk, he observed, "Now isn't that better, Weasley? I've improved your wife for you. I can't imagine how you've lived with that battleax all these years without going deaf!"

Arthur did not reply but threw himself at Lucius, much in the same way he'd done that day in Flourish and Blotts. Before he could connect with Malfoy, however, the blond wizard flicked his wand at him, and calmly said, "Stupefy!"

The older wizard collapsed backwards, but Harry caught him before he hit the floor, glaring at Lucius Malfoy, who was smirking in amusement, with sheer loathing.

As the group turned its attention to help Arthur, Hermione noticed her parents standing in back, one step below the landing. "Mum! Dad!" she exclaimed. "I thought you were in Australia!"

"We'd decided to come home to England for good," her mother said. "We thought we were going to surprise you, but it turned out that you surprised us, instead."

"Mr and Mrs Granger," Lucius said, addressing Hermione's parents for the first time. Swallowing his instinctive disdain for muggles, he said quietly, "I think we need to have a talk."

"That's an understatement," Kenneth Granger agreed.

"Won't you come in, then?" Lucius said smoothly, standing aside in a gesture of invitation. "We can talk over lunch."

"Yes, thank you," Jane Granger said, instinctively realizing that reacting as Molly Weasley had done would do nothing to resolve the situation in a peaceful manner.

As the Grangers stepped over the threshold to the Malfoy penthouse, the Weasleys and Harry moved to follow. The stupefy spell had worn off Arthur and he followed on shaky legs, supported by Harry.

"Not you lot," Lucius said, barring the door. "This is a meeting for family only, which all of you are obviously not."

"Wait just a minute," Harry exclaimed, "Hermione is every bit part of the Weasley family, just as I am. You've no right..."

"I have every right," Lucius said coldly. "I am her legal consort, so am I her family in law as well as in deed." Softening his gaze slightly to the young man, whom he realized had truly been Hermione's friend and who had saved Draco's life in the Room of Requirement, he said in a quiet voice, "Just go for now and attend to the Weasleys. Hermione will owl you later when all of this has calmed down. If you want to show that you care about Hermione, you could make arrangements to have her cat, Crookshanks, delivered here, as she's been missing him terribly."

"All right," Harry said dully. "I'll make sure that Crookshanks is brought over here."

"Thank you," the older wizard said.

"But this isn't over yet, by a long shot," Harry vowed.

"No, I don't imagine it is," Lucius replied, entirely unfazed by the young man's implied threats. "Now, if you'll excuse us..."

And with that, Lucius shut the door in his face.

--  
A/N Much gratitude to all my faithful readers..  
A/N There's a new entry in the blog, "What to Wear to a Confrontation". As usual, it can be accessed from my blog.  
A/N Next chapter: Meeting the Parents. (Note to those who like a bit of smut -- there will be a bit in this chapter!)


	22. Meeting the Parents

After Lucius had closed the door behind them, the Grangers looked around in near-awe at the luxuriously appointed penthouse. They knew next to nothing about the wizarding world, but they realized that Lucius Malfoy came from the opposite end of the wizarding social spectrum than did the Weasleys.

After guiding Hermione's parents to the front sitting room, Lucius said, "If you'll excuse Hermione and I for a few moments, we need to get properly dressed." He gestured briefly with both hands at his scantily clad body to emphasize his point.

Jane Granger nearly sighed as he did this, as she found Lucius just as handsome as her daughter did.

"I will send our house elf in with a pot of tea for you while we're changing," he said. "We'll be just a few minutes."

"Thank you," Jane said.

As he left the room, Hermione quickly followed, needing a few moments to get over the shock of her parents finding out about her relationship with Lucius in this way.

Once Lucius had closed their bedroom door behind them, Hermione fell into his arms. "Oh, that was horrible!" she moaned. "Mrs Weasley was so awful."

Lucius rubbed her back as he held her in his arms, in an attempt to comfort her. Personally, he'd quite enjoyed Molly Weasley's acting like the low-class fishwife she was in front of Hermione, as it served the purpose of directing Hermione's loyalty even more toward him. However, he wisely kept his opinion to himself.

"And what's even worse, my Mum and Dad had to see it," she continued. "I can't imagine what they think of me right now!"

"Leave it to me," Lucius said. "I'll fix it." He gave her a kiss on the cheek, then said, "They seemed pretty calm to me. I'm sure I can reason with them."

"I hope so," she said miserably. "Who knows what Mrs Weasley said to them about you before they got here."

"Don't worry," Lucius said. "It will be all right." Releasing her, he said, "Now, let's get cleaned up and get dressed. We don't want to leave them alone out there too long."

The couple jumped into the shower together, which Lucius magically expanded with his wand so they both could wash quickly without elbowing each other. As they both hurriedly washed their hair and scrubbed themselves, Lucius gazed at Hermione's wet, nude body with frank appreciation and couldn't help but get aroused.

"Lucius!" Hermione said in mock reproval when she noticed his erection. "My parents are just in the other room!"

"It won't take but a couple of minutes, I promise," he said with a husky voice as he reached for her. "We need to finish what we'd started before we were so rudely interrupted.

Hermione sighed as his fingers slipped inside her; she'd already forgotten her parents. She boldly reached for his rigid cock to help guide it inside.

"Turn around, bend forward, and put your hands against the wall," Lucius instructed her. "It will be easier that way."

As soon as she'd done as he'd told her, he entered her swiftly from behind. "Hang on," he growled. "This one's going to be fast and hard. We don't have the time for me to use any finesse."

Hermione shivered with anticipation as he began to move inside her. With seconds, he was pounding against her with a hard, almost brutal pace, which generated rhythmic dull thuds against the shower wall. The young woman sincerely hoped her parents could not hear the thumping from where they sat.

All too soon, it was over, as Lucius came with a feral grunt, then collapsed against her, breathing heavily. After pulling out of her a moment later, he murmured, "Let me wash you." He grabbed a washcloth and began to gently wash between her legs.

She took the cloth from him and said, "I'd better do that. We'll never get out of here if you do it."

Lucius chuckled lowly. "How well you know me!"

"We can take another shower later this evening, if you like," she said, snapping his bum playfully with the washcloth.

"I look forward to it," he said.

Ten minutes later, they rejoined Hermione's parents in the sitting room. After their shower, they'd dried themselves, fixed their hair, and dressed with the aid of magic to make up for the time they'd spent in the shower having a quickie.

As Lucius swept into the room, following by a now-elegantly clad Hermione, they found her parents sipping tea, looking distinctly uncomfortable. They both looked up expectantly as Lucius took an easy chair opposite them, with Hermione sitting in another chair next to him.

"Allow me to introduce myself," Lucius said smoothly. "I'm Lucius Malfoy" Pausing a moment in instinctive distaste at the idea of shaking hands with a muggle, he finally stuck his hand out to Hermione's father, bowing to the inevitable.

"Kenneth Granger," Hermione's father said, equally reluctant to shake the hand of the erstwhile Death Eater. "And this is my wife, Jane."

Lucius regarded her with a tight smile, "Mrs Granger." At that moment, Breezy appeared in the doorway, giving Lucius a signal to let him know that lunch was ready. "Lunch is ready. Let's continue our conversation in the dining room."

A few moments later, after they were all seated, Lucius turned to Kenneth Granger and said., "I understood from Hermione that you and Mrs Granger had decided to settle in Australia. She didn't mention that you were returning to England."

"We got homesick and decided to come home," Jane explained briefly. "We'd decided to surprise Hermione by showing up unannounced." After a sip of tea, she finished lamely, "But it seems as if we're the surprised ones."

"How did you two get together?" Kenneth asked. "The last we'd heard from Hermione, she'd just lost her boyfriend, Ron Weasley. Your relationship is very sudden and very baffling to us."

"We've been acquainted for many years," Lucius said. "But our relationship began after a chance meeting in a bookstore when we had a long conversation about a book we were both interested in. One thing led to another and it wasn't long before our relationship became serious."

"You have to understand that all we have to go by is that nasty newspaper article and by what the Weasleys told us," Jane put in. "They told us that you're a married man, so we don't understand how you could enter into any sort of legal relationship with Hermione."

"I'm assuming you mean the _Daily Prophet_," Lucius said. "We've not had a chance to look at today's edition yet, so I can't really comment on it." He made a mental note to make sure to read the paper once he'd gotten rid of the Grangers.

Taking Hermione's hand, he continued, "To answer your question, yes, I'm a married man. And, until quite recently, it would have been legally impossible, as well as being frowned upon, for me to have more than one legal mate. But after the devastating losses from the recent war, the Ministry of Magic authorized the recognition of consort relationships to exist alongside marriage in order to help increase the magical population more quickly and to help improve our gene pool. The Ministry encouraged relationships between purebloods and muggleborns in particular."

"A pureblood is someone who has all magical ancestors," Hermione explained. "And muggleborns are those like me, who have non-magical parents."

"How old are you Mr Malfoy?" Kenneth asked pointedly.

"I'm 44," Lucius responded.

"Are you aware that Hermione is only 19?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm well aware," he answered, wondering what Granger was getting at. "My son Draco was in Hermione's year at Hogwarts."

"I don't know about the wizarding world, but relationships with such a wide age difference are generally looked down on in our world, and are not the norm," Kenneth said.

"Our age difference isn't quite as unusual here," Hermione explained, remembering that Luna had once told her that her parents were 30 years apart in age.

"Magical people tend to live considerably longer than muggles," Lucius explained. "Thus, our age difference is of little significance here."

"I still can't imagine what you two could possibly have in common," Kenneth said, still unconvinced. "I also understand that you were one of that Lord Voldemort's followers."

"Yes, I was a Death Eater," Lucius said. "It's a long story, but to give you the short version, I entered into the Dark Lord's service because of family obligations and, interestingly enough, family concerns of a more meaningful nature eventually caused me to renounce my allegiance to Voldemort more than a year before his ultimate defeat."

Taking a sip of water, he continued, "And to answer your second question, Hermione and I have a surprising amount in common. She's one of the most intelligent women I've ever met of any age, and she's quite a refreshing intellectual challenge for me. And, as I'm sure you know well, she is mature beyond her years."

"I feel the same way about Lucius," Hermione assured him. "He's actually much better suited to me than Ron was. He treats me like a woman and not like I'm his second mother."

"We only want what's best for Hermione," Kenneth said slowly. "You have to understand that."

"Of course," Lucius allowed. "I'd be asking a lot of hard questions if the situations were reversed." Looking intently at the two muggles, he said, "But let me assure you, I care for Hermione and I will take care of her and our child until my last breath. I took a vow to that effect, and a Malfoy always keeps his promises. I am the richest wizard in Great Britain, so Hermione will want for nothing."

"Your child?" Jane asked.

"Yes, Mum," Hermione said with a shy smile. "I'm pregnant and I should have a baby around the beginning of September or so."

"I'm going to be a grandmother?" Jane said, grinning stupidly. She reached over to hug Hermione. "Oh, that's wonderful!"

Kenneth still didn't feel entirely comfortable with the situation, but Hermione's pregnancy changed everything. He would accept the situation and try to make the best of it for the sakes of his daughter and grandchild. "I'll hold you to that promise, Malfoy," he said gruffly.

"You have my word," Lucius assured him. "You are welcome to visit Hermione here any time you wish."

At that moment there was an urgent knock at the door. "What now?" Lucius said, obviously annoyed. He waited expectantly as Breezy appeared to answer the door.

"A Mr Harry Potter is at the door," Breezy announced a moment later. "He said to tell Mistress Hermione that he's brought her cat, Crookshanks."

"Show him in, then," Lucius said, glad for the interruption. He was ready to bring the meeting with the Grangers to a close.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione exclaimed when Harry appeared carrying the large cat in a cat carrier. After Harry set the carrier on the rug, she bent to let her cat out. "Oh, I missed you so much!" she said, hugging the now-purring cat to her. "Thank you so much, Harry!"

"I was glad to do it," he said awkwardly. "Is everything all right, Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry," she said, smiling. "Believe it or not, I'm quite happy. I hope you can be happy for me."

"It will take some getting used to," he said, not at all ready to accept this. "But Ginny's waiting for me, so I've got to be going."

"We need to be going, too," Mr Granger said. "We've had a long day and we need to go get some rest."

"We'll see you soon," Jane said.

"I'll owl you soon," Hermione promised. "But you'll need your own owl if you want to get in touch with me first."

"I'll have one sent to you right away," Lucius promised the Grangers.

"How much do I owe you for it," Kenneth asked.

"Not a thing," Lucius replied. "Consider it my gift to you."

"Thank you," Jane said. "We appreciate it."

After accompanying them to the door, Hermione hugged both parents tightly, promising to get together with them soon.

"Thanks for accepting this," Hermione murmured into her mother's ear. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you in a better way. I didn't mean for you to find out like this -- Lucius and I had planned to come visit you in Australia after New Year's."

"It's all right," she said. "You could have done it better, but what's done is done." She hugged her daughter tighter to emphasize that she loved her dearly, no matter what..

Harry left with the Grangers after promising Hermione that he'd show them the exit into muggle London.

Hermione sighed with relief once the door had closed behind them. "I'm glad that's over with," she said with a loud sigh.

"Indeed," Lucius said, as he led her back to the bedroom to spend the afternoon in bed.

--  
A/N Wow! Up to 200 reviews! I really appreciate the response I've gotten with this story.  
A/N Next Chapter: Revenge (Rita Skeeter finally gets what she deserves!)


	23. Revenge

Lucius finally got around to reading the _Daily Prophet_ article about him and Hermione the next morning over breakfast. Hermione was standing behind him, reading over his shoulder, too impatient to wait for him to finish.

"Oh, that miserable bitch!" Hermione spat in indignation after she'd quickly read the article. "I shouldn't be surprised, though. That woman doesn't have anything good to say about anyone."

"I'm not at all surprised," Lucius said. "She once tried unsuccessfully to get me into bed and she's carried a grudge against me ever since. I humiliated her in public with my rather loud refusal." He didn't tell Hermione that Skeeter's assertion that he'd bedded several prominent witches was true, however.

"I would have given anything to have witnessed that," Hermione said with a nasty giggle. "I'm sure you really let the air out of her tyres."

"Let the air out of her tyres?" Lucius asked, confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione said. "It's a muggle expression that vaguely corresponds to the effects of a deflating charm."

"Ah, I see," Lucius said, smiling. "She was certainly deflated, that much I can say."

"She doesn't have any use for me, either," Hermione said. "Not since my fourth year at least."

"What happened then?" he asked. "Why would she even care what a fourth year student thought of her?"

"It's very simple," Hermione said, grinning widely now. "I discovered that she's an unregistered Animagus, a beetle, of all things. She was writing a lot of nasty articles about Harry then, so I blackmailed her. I told her if she didn't stop writing them, then I'd turn her in to the Ministry. I captured her in beetle form and kept her in an unbreakable jar for a time to emphasize my point."

"Are you sure you were sorted into the right house?" he asked, now more sure than ever he'd done well in choosing Hermione as his consort. "It seems you'd have done quite well in Slytherin."

"Perhaps I would have," she said. "If muggleborns had been welcome there."

"Touche." he conceded. Getting back to the point, he said, "Perhaps it's time you made good on your threat. We can't let this pass, you know."

"You're right," she said. "I gave her a chance once and she's more than used that chance up." Heaving a sigh, she said, "I'll take care of it this week."

"Let me give you a word of advice," he said. "Don't go to the Ministry yourself to turn her in; all that's necessary is to mention it to the right people who will pass it along. A Malfoy never airs their dirty laundry in public, if it's at all possible to avoid it."

"Why not?" she asked. "It's the truth and I'm not ashamed to say it."

"First of all, she would no doubt tell the Ministry that you've known she's an Animagus for several years, which could get you into trouble yourself for not coming forward sooner," he pointed out. "Secondly, it falls under the heading of 'protesting too much' and people will wonder if the things she said in the article are actually true."

"I didn't think of that," she said slowly. "You've got a point." Heaving a sigh, she added, "I was going to go right down to the ministry, but I'll do it your way."

"Let me handle it," he told her with a smile. "This is a matter that calls for Slytherin finesse, not Gryffindor bluntness."

"All right," she said. "I'll leave it to you, then."

At that moment, Breezy appeared hesitantly in the doorway to the breakfast nook, waiting for Lucius to acknowledge her.

"Yes, Breezy, what is it?" Lucius finally asked.

"Begging Master's pardon, but Mistress Hermione has an owl message," the elf said, extending a small envelope.

"Thank you, Breezy," Hermione said with an encouraging smile as she took the envelope from the small hand. Tearing it open, she read the brief note quickly.

"It's from my mother," Hermione explained, noting Lucius' expectant expression. With a small laugh, she continued, "She wants to take me shopping for baby clothes!"

"It would seem as if she's accepted our relationship," Lucius observed. "A wise woman."

"I think I'd like to go," Hermione said. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," he said. "I need to attend to the Rita Skeeter problem in a timely fashion, so I believe I'll set the wheels in motion for that while you're gone." Reaching for his wallet, he said, "Let me give you some money. What will you need -- galleons or muggle money?"

"We'll be shopping on the muggle side," Hermione told him. "I'm to meet her outside the Leaky Cauldron."

Lucius reached into a back compartment of his wallet and extracted a generous amount of muggle pounds. "I trust this should be sufficient?" he asked.

"More than enough," she assured him.

"And that brings me to another matter," he said briskly. "I've taken the liberty of opening an account for you at Gringotts. I've deposited a generous sum there for your personal use and I will replenish it on a montly basis." Reaching into his pocket, he handed her the key to her personal vault.

"Thank you." The feminist in Hermione felt momentarily uncomfortable, but she pushed the feeling out of her mind. She was his legal consort, after all, and it was perfectly proper for him to support her.

"I'd better send a note to tell my mother I'll be there," she said. After getting a piece of parchment and a quill from Breezy, she scribbled a note of acceptance, then gave it to Breezy to owl off to her mother.

An hour later, Hermione left the penthouse to meet her mother. As Lucius walked her to the door, he said, "Have a good time. I'll have Breezy make something special for dinner tonight."

"Sounds good." She reached up to meet his lips as he bent down to kiss her goodbye. "I'll see you this afternoon, then."

"Until then," he said, watching her descend the stairs

--

Lucius went directly to his desk in the library after Hermione had left. He wrote a short note, then took it to the owlery himself to send off, then returned to the library. Pouring himself a glass of firewhiskey, he settled in to wait for the reply.

He didn't have long to wait. Breezy brought him a sheet of folded parchment within fifteen minutes. Turning to the elf after reading the short note, he said, "We'll be having a guest shortly. When he arrives, bring out a pot of tea and a plate of pastries to the library."

Within moments, a green light emitted from the fireplace as Lucius' guest appeared. A man about ten years senior to Lucius stepped out of the fireplace, brushing off his robe.

"Ah, Terwilliger," Lucius said. "Right on time, I see."

"You said it was urgent," Norbert Terwilliger said, taking the seat that Lucius indicated to him. At that moment Breezy appeared with the tea and pastries.

"There's something I need you to take care of," Lucius explained. "And I'd rather you do it sooner, rather than later."

"Yes?" Terwilliger had a vague idea of what Malfoy was getting at, considering he was the editor-in-chief of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Rita Skeeter," Lucius said. "I think she's overstayed her welcome in your employ."

"Rita is my best writer!" Terwilliger protested. "She's what keeps the paper profitable."

"It would be in your best interests to terminate her employment," Lucius insisted. "It has recently come to my attention that Ms Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. A beetle, I believe." After taking a sip of his firewhiskey, he continued, "And I don't believe that you were not fully aware of her special abilities."

The sick expression on Terwilliger's face told Lucius that his assumptions were entirely correct.

"How did you find out?" the older man asked.

"I have my sources," Lucius replied vaguely. "You must know that I have eyes and ears everywhere."

"I'll lose money if I fire her," Terwilliger stubbornly insisted. "The _Prophet_ might even go under."

"You'll lost more than that if you don't do as I request," Lucius said ominously. "I also expect you to turn her in to the Ministry as an unregistered Animagus." Narrowing his eyes at the other man, he murmured, "Surely, you don't want to join her at Azkaban, do you? I would so hate to suddenly recover my memory about your embezzlement of the paper's operating funds."

Terwilliger knew he'd been beaten. Lucius Malfoy had too much on him for him to refuse his demand. He regretted what he would have to do to Rita, but there wasn't any use in _both_of them going to Azkaban.

"All right, I'll take care of it," he said heavily.

"Excellent," Lucius said with a tight smile. "You may expect a sizable deposit into your muggle bank account in Switzerland once Ms Skeeter had been sent to Azkaban."

Norbert Terwilliger stood to leave. "If that's all, I'd better go and get to it."

"I have one more request," Lucius said. Waiting until the other man had sat back down, he continued, "I would most appreciate it if the Prophet could do a feature article about the orphanage my wife and her sister Andromeda Tonks are starting for those children orphaned by the war. It is a worthy cause that I'm sure everyone in the wizarding community will be pleased to support."

"Of course," Terwilliger said. "I'd be happy to."

"I won't keep you," Lucius said, effectively dismissing the man. "I know you have things to do."

As the man turned to step into the fireplace for the return floo, Lucius pointed his wand at him, whispering "Obliviate". When questioned by anyone in the future about his meeting with Lucius, Terwilliger would only be able to remember being asked to do a story about Narcissa's orphanage and would have no memory of the conversation about Rita Skeeter. He would also not remember that it was Lucius who'd prompted him to turn Rita in to the Ministry, but would think he'd made the decision on his own.

After Terwilliger had left, Lucius poured himself another glass of firewhiskey, pleased that he'd taken care of that irritation with a minimum of fuss.

--  
A/N Thanks to everyone who has stuck with me through this story  
A/N New entry at my blog: A Note About the Writing Process. As usual the blog can be accessed through my profile page  
A/N Next chapter: An Unwelcome Visitor


	24. An Unwelcome Visitor

A couple of days later, Lucius told Hermione, "I need to go spend a few days with Narcissa and Draco before he returns to America. Will you be all right on your own?"

"Yes, of course," she said. "I'll be fine. I've got loads to studying to catch up on if I'm to graduate in the spring. And I've got a meeting at Hogwarts to attend." Patting him on the arm, she continued, "I can always pop over to visit my parents if I get to missing you too much. And Breezy will be here with me."

"I'm just an owl away if you need me," he assured her.

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "It's only right that you spend some time with them."

"I should only be gone a few days; less than a week," he said. "I'll leave in the morning, then."

Before Hermione could answer, there was a loud knock at the door. She looked at Lucius and asked, "I wonder who that could be? They certainly sound impatient."

"I haven't a clue," he said. "I hope it isn't Molly Weasley coming to give us more hell."

"Really," she agreed with a hint of a shudder.

Breezy entered the room at that moment, looking distinctly harassed, "I'm sorry, Master and Mistress but..."

Before she could get the words out, a tall, imperious woman in her late sixties with long silver hair swept into the room on the heels of the hapless elf.

"Mother!" Lucius was gobsmacked. He'd not laid eyes on his mother since his father passed away during the summer before Draco's second year at Hogwarts. "When did you get back to England?"

"Just this morning," Persephone Malfoy said. Holding up a copy of the_ Daily Prophet_, she continued, "I read this and I simply had to come and see the mudblood my son is shacking up with."

Looking at Hermione intently, she said, "Is this her?" Not waiting for his reply, she said, "Well, I see the attraction now -- she's young and pretty and she makes your cock hard."

Making a tsk-tsk sound, she added, "But I thought I brought you up better than that. It's all well and good to bed a comely mudblood -- but you certainly don't bring them home and acknowledge the relationship in public! Your father would be whirling in his grave to know what you've done!"

Hermione was speechless, but Lucius was not. "It's hardly as if you brought me up at all," Lucius said icily. "As I recall, I spent much of my childhood relegated to the tender care of house elves while you were continually off traipsing all over the continent."

Turning to Hermione, he said, "Please excuse my mother's unforgivable behavior. She's never known any better, considering that she was the bane of my father's existence the entire time they were married. She's never had the slightest clue about diplomacy or good manners."

"I see that," she said in a small voice, regarding the haughty woman as if she were an unruly child rather than an aging matron.

Turning back to his mother, he said, "You might care to know that Hermione is already carrying your grandchild. But I can't imagine that would interest you all that much, as you've never taken much notice of Draco's existence in the past."

"I don't have to stand here and allow you to talk to me like that," she said, still looking down her nose at Hermione as if she'd just peed on the floor.

"That's right, you don't," Lucius agreed. Rising, he pointed to the door and said, "You're quite free to leave now that you've satisfied your curiosity." As he escorted the indignant woman to the door, he warned, "I'd better not hear that you've gone to Malfoy Manor and upset Narcissa and Draco, either. Surely you haven't forgotten that I'd told you that I'd send you to St. Mungo's mental ward after the last time you upset them?"

Persephone merely snorted as she left the penthouse in high dudgeon.

After the older woman had gone, Hermione turned to Lucius and said. "You never mentioned your mother to me. I'd assumed that she was no longer alive."

"After my mother's performance, I'm sure you can see why I've not mentioned her," Lucius said. "My parents are a prime example of an arranged marriage gone horribly wrong. My grandfather, Tiberius Malfoy, wanted to forge an alliance with my mother's family, the Rookwoods, so he was not suspicious when my other grandfather, Oscar Rookwood, was so eager to marry off his daughter to my father."

"After the wedding, however, it quickly became apparent that my mother was unbalanced," Lucius continued. "She'd have periods where she acted perfectly normal, but then she'd have extended periods where she apparently had boundless amounts of energy and very little self-control. She had dozens of affairs, spent reckless amounts of money, and would take off for months at a time when she'd get like this."

"She's bipolar," Hermione said quietly.

"Bipolar?" Lucius repeated.

"Yes, that's what muggles call your mother's problem," she explained. "It's also known as manic-depressive illness. It's quite treatable, actually."

"Unfortunately, my mother's problem is the result of a curse placed on her mother when she was pregnant with my mother," Lucius explained. "Another witch had mistakenly thought my grandmother had tried to steal her husband away from her, so she hexed her, cursing the baby." Heaving a deep sigh, he continued, "My mother's problem wasn't apparent at first, but appeared more often and more severely the older she got. By the time my father realized that there was something seriously wrong with her and had been told by other relatives just what it was, she was pregnant with me and it was too late for him to send her back to her family." After a pause, he concluded, "But it was fortunately not a generational curse -- she was unable to pass it on to her offspring."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione said, reaching to hug him. "Wasn't it possible to have the curse broken?"

"No," Lucius said. "My father tried. He took her to every healer in Britain, Europe, and America. No one could help her. My father eventually gave up and washed his hands of her. He just let her go her own way and let her go gallivanting all over world, as it got her out of his hair."

"That must have been so hard on you as a child," she said, still holding him in her arms. As Hermione comforted Lucius, it became clearer to her why Lucius had been so eager to please his father as a teenager and had become a Death Eater without protest.

"Yes, it was," he said, not elaborating further. "But she's no danger to herself -- she just creates a toxic environment wherever she goes. I just limit my contact with her as much as possible. I make sure an allowance is doled out to her on a regular basis, but I've kept her away from Narcissa and Draco, as she is as horrible to them as she was with you just now."

"Apparently it wasn't anything personal, then," Hermione said, again amazed at how differently muggles and wizards handled mental illness, no matter the cause.

"I'm glad you understand," he said, bending to give her a kiss. "I spent my entire childhood being ashamed of my mother and I was only happy when she was gone. To this day, very few people know her. As you would imagine, pureblood society isn't very understanding about things like that." Taking her hands in his own, he said, "And I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about her, either. It's really none of anyone's business and I prefer it remain in the family."

"Of course," Hermione said. "I would never dream of betraying your confidence in me. That goes without saying."

Lucius looked down at her and smiled, reminded yet again of why he'd chosen her.

--  
A/N Much appreciations to my readers and reviewers  
A/N New blog entry: A Few Notes About Lucius Malfoy's Mother. As usual the blog can be accessed from my profile.  
A/N Next Chapter: Two Portraits and a Newspaper


	25. Two Portraits and a Newspaper

Lucius left the next morning after breakfast for Malfoy Manor. After Hermione had kissed him goodbye at the door, she lingered in the foyer, thinking of just how to spend the day. She knew she needed to hit the books, but she didn't feel like it quite yet.

As she made her way back down the corridor, she spent some time looking more closely at the portraits on the wall. Lucius had bespelled the portraits before he left, so they could not verbally abuse Hermione about being muggleborn, but otherwise retained their original personalities. Most of the portraits were blond like Lucius, but a few had dark hair.

She paused by a portrait of one dark haired ancestor, painted in middle age, who had short hair and looked as if the portrait dated from the first or second decade of the 20th century. Hermione looked at him closely, wondering how many generations he was removed from Lucius, as the two bore a strong resemblance to one another, save for the difference in hair color.

"So," the man in the portrait said. "You've finally decided to take some notice of us and pay a proper visit."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I've not lived here long and haven't really had a good chance before now."

"I'm Rufus Malfoy," the man said. "Might I know your name?"

"Hermione Granger-Malfoy," she replied.

"Granger-Malfoy?" he was perplexed. "I thought you were Lucius' mistress."

"No, I'm his consort," she explained. "Registered with the Ministry and everything. We lost a lot of people in the latest war and the Ministry introduced consort relationships as a way to both build up the population and to reduce squib births without upsetting ongoing marriages. I'm a muggleborn, you see. Since your time, it's been discovered that squibs are born less often to pureblood-muggleborn matches."

"I can't say that I understand very much of that," he admitted. "But no matter. All I want is someone to come chat with me now and then. I'm quite tired of having no one to talk to, save my ancestors and descendants on the walls here, who are just as trapped in this hall as I am."

"That sounds reasonable enough," she said. "Just how are you related to Lucius, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"I'm his great grandfather," Rufus said. "My son was Tiberius, who was the father of Abraxas, who was the father of Lucius."

"Did you ever know Lucius in life?" she asked. Hermione smiled at the thought of Lucius as a darling little boy.

"Yes, I knew him as a very young child," he said. "But I died before he was old enough to remember me."

"It's odd to see a dark haired Malfoy," she observed.

"My father was blond," he explained. "But he married a Potter and most of the Potters have had black or brown hair."

"So, Lucius is related to Harry..." Hermione thought half out loud. Lucius had told her that all the pureblood families were related to one another in multiple ways; it was a wonder to her that there weren't more squibs.

Noting the time, she turned to the portrait and said, "Well, it's been nice talking to you, but I need to get busy studying. I promise I'll come talk to you again." As she turned to continue down the hall, she noticed an empty space where another portrait should be. Turning back to the portrait, she asked, "Shouldn't there be another portrait here?"

"It's in the closet at the end of the hall," Rufus explained.

Her curiosity piqued, she went to the closet and opened the door. Hermione opened the door to find a large portrait covered with a black cloth. Uncovering it, she saw a dark haired man with his hair in an 18th century queue and an Army uniform staring back at her with piercing blue eyes and a haughty expression. He could have been Lucius' double, save for the dark hair.

"Oh, my, you're a handsome one," she said. "I've always wondered what Lucius would have looked like with dark hair and now I know!" She lugged the heavy portrait out into the hall where she could get a better look at it. She noticed a metal plate attached to the bottom of the frame which had "Colonel William Tavington" inscribed on it.

Hermione recognized the name from one of her muggle history classes. Tavington had been a dragoon, a cavalry officer, killed near the end of the American Revolution, known to the Americans as "The Butcher".

"Surely not," she said to herself. "I can't imagine any wizard fighting in the muggle army, nor can I imagine Lucius having muggle ancestors. Thought it _would_ explain why this portrait was in the closet rather than on the wall."

"Did it ever occur to you simply to ask _me _who I am?" the painted Tavington asked in exasperation. "I've been stuck in the dark here for so long that the least you could do is talk to me."

"I'm sorry," she said, with a small laugh. "So, who are you, then? How are you connected to the Malfoy family?"

"First of all, I'm not a muggle," Tavington said, with a sigh. "I'm a squib. I was married to a beautiful pureblood witch and we had a daughter before she found out that I had very little magical ability. You see, I was very talented in passing for a full-fledged wizard, with my parents' help."

Sighing again, he said, "She left me as soon as she knew I was a squib. It didn't matter that the Tavingtons were one of the more prominent pureblood families of the 18th century. And after word got around and everyone knew my secret, my parents had no choice but to turn their backs on me. I ran off and joined the Army and eventually rose to command the Green Dragoons -- what little magic I did have, I used to improve my equestrian abilities and swordsmanship. I was also one of the few squibs at the time to be fairly talented in legilimency." After a pause, he added, "And to answer your other question, my daughter married into the Malfoy family."

"Well, that's terrible," Hermione said. "If your wife loved you, it shouldn't have mattered that you were a squib."

"I'm sure you know it doesn't work that way for purebloods," he said. "Or at least it didn't in my time."

"I'm sorry to say that most squibs still leave the wizarding world to live among muggles when they come of age," she told him. "Though there are a few exceptions." Picking the portrait up, she said, "Well, I'm going to hang you in the space that's available for you. You're quite handsome and you deserve a place there. The closet was no proper place for you."

Hermione pulled out her wand and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!", then guided the portrait into place on the wall. After performing a sticking charm, she stood back to see how it looked there. "Perfect!" she said. "I think I'm going to enjoying seeing you every time I walk by."

"I thank you," he said. "I was about to go insane in that dark closet."

Looking at both of the portraits she'd spoken to, she said, "Now, I really must go study! I've got a meeting at Hogwarts the day after tomorrow and I need to catch up!"

With no further ado, Hermione hurried to the library, where her books were already waiting for her on Lucius' desk. As she seated herself in the comfortable chair, she felt warmly content to return to a familiar routine, this time in her very own home. She was especially glad to have such a well-stocked library at her fingertips, which would surely be conducive to more effective learning.

Hermione opened her Advanced Transfiguration textbook and began to review one chapter for a test she would take on her next visit to Hogwarts. She was soon entirely engrossed in the book and didn't notice time slipping away.

"Excuse me, Mistress Hermione?" Breezy had entered the library with a pot of tea and the _Daily Prophet_ on a tray. "Breezy would be happy to make lunch for Mistress, if you please."

"Thank you, Breezy," Hermione said, glad for a break. "I think that will be very nice."

After the elf hurried off to prepare her lunch, Hermione poured herself a cup of tea, then opened the paper to read while she was waiting. The top headline immediately caught her eye: "Rita Skeeter Fired From Daily Prophet After Chief Editor Discovers She Is Unregistered Animagus." A sub-headline immediately below read; "Skeeter Arrested by Improper Use of Magic Office -- Azkaban Sentence Probable."

As she quickly read the remainder of the article, she could see Lucius' hand all over the chain of events. She realized that even though Lucius had lost a great deal of influence with the ministry since he'd been sent to Azkaban, he was still a man to be reckoned with and never underestimated. He was definitely still a man who could get things done.

Her eyes strayed down to another story: "Last Surviving Members of the Black Family, Sisters Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks, Open Home For Children Orphaned in War" A picture showing the two smiling sisters shaking hands with Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt accompanied the article. Hermione guessed that Lucius had probably influenced the timing of this article as well, as placing it side by side with the Skeeter article could only make the Malfoys look good by comparison.

Yes, her consort was definitely the consummate politician, Hermione thought with a smile.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my reviewers, old and new  
A/N Two new blog posts. One is a fun quiz that tells you what kind of wand you should have. Feel free to post your results either in the comment box there or in your next review. The second post, "Two Portraits", explains the purpose of this chapter, with photos that help illustrate that purpose. As usual, my blog can be accessed from my profile.  
A/N Next chapter: Luna's Revelations


	26. Luna's Revelations

Two days later, Hermione rushed around the apartment getting ready to go to Hogwarts. She'd decided to ride the train there with the rest of the students returning after Christmas break and stay overnight at Hogwarts, as it would be the last chance she'd ever get to do it.

She put on her usual outfit of a muggle sweater and jeans, then looked through her clothes to find her everyday school robe. After finding it, she reached to pull it off the hanger, then paused as she noticed another school robe right behind it that was made of more expensive material. Lucius must have ordered it for her that day they went to Twilfitt and Tatting's, she thought to herself.

Hermione considered both robes, then pulled out the old one. It was comfortable and familiar. Still indecisive, she looked at the beautiful new robe again. Finally, she put the old robe back and slipped on the new one, which fit like a glove. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she thought that Lucius had paid good money for the robe, so she might as well wear it. And though the expensive material and fit would remind people that she was Lucius Malfoy's consort, she saw no need to play it down by wearing her cheap old robes. She wasn't ashamed of Lucius or their relationship, she thought as she turned away from the mirror. She saw no purpose in false modesty.

After she'd reduced her books and put them in her overnight bag, she kissed Crookshanks goodbye and told Breezy to take care of him. "I'll see you soon," she told the cat. "Be good for Breezy."

She apparated moments later into a lavatory at the train station that had been given muggle-repelling charms. Muggles who came to use the room would suddenly be under the impression that it was closed for repairs as soon as they got near the door. As Hermione appeared in the room, she saw two Hufflepuff girls she didn't know standing at the sink fixing their hair. Giving them a brief nod, she hurried out of the room.

The young woman had plenty of time, as the train wouldn't leave for a half hour yet. As she walked briskly to Platform 9 and 3/4, she didn't see anyone but muggles, some of whom cast brief glances at her, puzzled by her odd attire. After she'd slipped through the barrier, she found a few people milling about on the platform, who were waiting for friends to arrive.

Hermione didn't linger on the platform, but boarded the train immediately to find an open compartment. She stuck her head into the first compartment and found Lavender Brown sitting with Romilda Vane. "Oh, excuse me," she said, turning to leave. She'd not had much use for Lavender Brown since their sixth year, when she'd made a big production out of going out with Ron.

"Oh, it's Lucius Malfoy's WHORE!" Lavender spat out, staring at Hermione with narrowed eyes. "You have some nerve showing your face around here! What are you going to Hogwarts for? With all of Malfoy's money, you don't need an education!"

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Hermione muttered, "I don't have time for this nonsense," then continued out the door.

As she started down the corridor, Lavender followed her. "This is how you honor Ron's memory? By spreading your legs for the likes of Lucius Malfoy?" she said loudly. "If Ron had stayed with me, he'd probably still be alive!"

Heads popped out of compartments all along the corridor. Hermione spotted Ginny standing in the doorway to the next compartment and moved to join her. As she reached the door, however, Ginny blocked her entrance.

"You reap what you sow," Ginny said coldly. "I can hardly believe that you'd stoop so low as to shack up with the bloody git who almost got me killed. Lavender is right. Ron would have been better off if he'd stayed with her." She closed the door in Hermione's face with a resounding bang.

Lavender's voice called out again as she moved to find another compartment, "Do you ever even think about Ron any more?"

Hermione paused briefly, but otherwise made no indication that she'd heard her. She didn't care what someone like Lavender Brown thought, anyway.

Ginny's words stung, however. Hermione wasn't surprised by her attitude, considering how badly she'd handled the entire matter. She didn't regret her relationship with Lucius, but she wished she'd been more honest with the Weasleys from the start. Sighing as she continued to search for a compartment, she hoped she'd be able to eventually patch things up with Ginny and her family once the shock of her relationship with Lucius had worn off.

As she was about to move on to the next car, she came upon Luna Lovegood standing in the doorway to the last compartment. regarding her with a smile.

"Hello, Hermione," Luna said with a dreamy voice. "Would you like to share this compartment with me? I could use some company."

"Thank you, Luna," she said gratefully. "I would be happy to sit with you." Hermione slid the door to the compartment closed, then seated herself across from the blond Ravenclaw.

"I read in the _Daily Prophet _that you were bonded to Lucius Malfoy as his consort," Luna said, wasting no time in bringing it up.

Hermione sighed, thinking, "_Here we go again_."

Before she could respond, Luna continued, "Congratulations, Hermione. I'm so happy for you!"

"T-thank you," she replied with a shaky voice. She certainly didn't expect _that._

"You and Lucius make such an attractive couple," Luna chattered on happily. "You're so lucky to have found one another. I know he'll will make you very happy and you will certainly do the same for him."

"You're the first person to congratulate me," Hermione told her. "I thought you'd be like the others, angry and appalled." After a pause, she continued, "Why aren't you telling me that I'm betraying Ron's memory by taking up with a big, bad Death Eater?"

"Lucius isn't a bad man," Luna said serenely. "He never was."

"How would you know?" Hermione asked, mystified. "I would think you, of all people, would think he was an evil man, considering that you were held prisoner at Malfoy Manor."

"But it wasn't Lucius who held me there," Luna pointed out. "He and his family were just as much prisoners there as I was. And I can't imagine anything worse than being a prisoner in one's own home."

At that moment, the snack trolley stopped in front of their compartment. Hermione and Luna each bought a bottle of pumpkin juice and a packet of cauldron cakes to tide them over until they arrived at the school.

After they'd returned to their seats, Hermione asked, "What did you mean when you said that Lucius and his family were just as much prisoners in their own home as you were?" She took a bit of her cake, then continued, "Lucius hasn't spoken much about that year with me, but I can tell it's something that troubles him greatly, so I've not really pushed him to tell me. I've always assumed that he feels ashamed of doing nothing to help me when Bellatrix put me under Crucio."

"Oh, I'm sure it bothers him that he couldn't help you then," Luna asserted. "But you have to understand that he was afraid for his wife and son; that You-Know-Who would kill them. He knew he had to put up a good front in front of Bellatrix, because he knew she told Voldemort everything that went on there."

"Lucius once told me that he believed that Bellatrix was truly insane," Hermione said. "Narcissa had told him that Bella wasn't right in the head even when she was a child."

"There were many nights in the dungeon when I couldn't sleep," Luna said. "I'd sometimes hear Lucius and Narcissa talking of how frightened they were for Draco. They didn't want Voldemort or the other Death Eaters there, but they didn't dare rebel. I could hear her crying and Lucius trying to comfort her, telling her he'd get them through it, somehow."

Hermione's heart ached for Lucius at that point, imagining how hard it was for the proud man to be betrayed by something he'd been raised to believe in and to be no longer able to effectively protect his family as he'd always done before.

Shuddering at the memory of her imprisonment there, she continued, "And despite the precarious position he and his family were in, all three Malfoys did what they could to help me and Mr Ollivander whenever opportunities came when they could do so without being discovered. They'd sneak in extra food, heal our wounds; whatever could be done to keep us going. I remember one time waking up to find Lucius holding poor old Mr Ollivander in his arms as he performed healing spells on him after he'd been Crucio'd. He'd heal his wounds, then would put a glamour on him to make Ollivander still look battered to anyone else who saw him. And I know Lucius sometimes gave us food off his own plate so that we could eat." Sighing loudly, she concluded, "I don't think either Mr Ollivander nor I would have still been alive when you were captured had it not been for Lucius and his family."

"I had no idea," Hermione said. "Thank you for telling me."

"And it was obvious that the Malfoys were in disgrace," Luna said. "All the Death Eaters treated Lucius like a house elf, following Voldemort's lead. I know that Voldemort Crucio'd him more than once -- I could hear it from the dungeon -- and that he'd make Narcissa and Draco watch. Voldemort and Bellatrix would always laugh with glee when Lucius would always finally scream, no matter how much he tried not to. There was one time that Voldemort was going to Crucio Draco, but Lucius insisted on taking his place."

"Yes, I can see him doing that," Hermione said, a tear creeping into her eye. "Draco is the world to him."

"And no matter what happened to you that day at the Manor," Luna said firmly, "I know if it had happened today, he'd do the same for you this time."

"Yes, he would," the other woman quietly agreed. "He's never said it, but I think he loves me."

"Do you love him?" Luna asked quietly

Hermione was about to say no, but then paused, knowing that was no longer the truth. "I think I'm beginning to," she admitted shyly. After a moment, she said with more confidence, "Yes. Yes, I do. I love him." She laughed quietly.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"I never expected to love him," Hermione said. "Our relationship was to be a strictly practical one on both sides and I thought the best we'd feel for one another would be deep friendship."

"Life doesn't often work that neatly," Luna observed sagely.

"Lucius had said that he wasn't in love with his wife when they got married," Hermione told her. "He began to love her after much shared experience and after Draco was born." After another quiet laugh, she confessed, "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Lucius and I are expecting!"

Luna clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh, that's wonderful! When are you due?"

"The beginning of September, or a little before," Hermione guessed. "I've not been to see a midwife yet."

As Luna continued to enthuse over her pregnancy, Hermione thought of what she'd just admitted -- she loved Lucius. She supposed that she had for awhile now, but had never stopped to examine her feelings about him. The young woman was quietly content with the awareness of her true feelings about Lucius, but she wasn't ready to tell him yet. Though she knew he cared about her, she wasn't at all sure he was ready to call it love.

She would bide her time and allow their relationship to progress naturally and not try to force things along.

Smiling, Hermione returned her attention to Luna and passed the rest of the trip in companionable conversation.

--  
A/N I still continue to be amazed at all the kind reviews I'm getting  
A/N New blog entry: "Song for Lucius and Narcissa". As usual, the blog can be accessed through my profile page  
A/N Next chapter: Snubs and Support


	27. Snubs and Support

Hermione was ravenously hungry by the time the train pulled in at Hogsmeade station. She was grateful to finally get off the train as she and Luna made their way through the swarming crowd of students.

She saw Hagrid a short distance away, guiding first year students to the thestral-drawn carriages to return to the school, instead of using the boats as they'd done several months earlier. Hermione smiled at the sight of the gentle man as she walked over to greet him.

"Hello, Hagrid, it's so good to see you!" she said warmly.

The large man turned at the sound of her voice. His eyes narrowed as he frowned at the sight of Hermione in her designer robes and expensive shoes. "Well, aren't yeh the fancy one, now?" he muttered. "But I suppose I shouldn't have expected less now that you're being kept by that slimy git, Lucius Malfoy."

He turned away from her, calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years! Over here! You're not taking the boats this time!"

"What did he expect me to wear?" she said in frustration to Luna. "Sack cloth and ashes? I'm not ashamed of being with Lucius and I don't see any need for false modesty by wearing my oldest robes!"

Luna didn't quite know what to say, but made sympathetic noises in commiseration. Changing the subject, she asked, "Will you be staying in the Gryffindor dorms tonight?"

"You know, I hadn't really thought of that," Hermione admitted. "But I suppose not; I wouldn't think they'd have an extra bed up there. I'll stay in one of the guest rooms. I think. If worse comes to worst, Lucius has a flat in Hogsmeade and I could stay there if I needed to."

A short time later, Hermione and Luna entered the Great Hall. As they neared the Gryffindor table, Hermione turned to Luna and said, "Well, I suppose I'll see you after dinner. We can talk more then."

"I'll look forward to it," Luna said.

As Hermione moved to take a seat between two Gryffindor girls, they quickly closed up the gap between them. She moved on to take a seat where she saw another gap, which again closed up as she approached.

"Sorry," Romilda Vane said with an insincere laugh that indicated that she wasn't sorry at all. "This seat is saved." Everyone else at the table snickered nastily at this.

Ginny, who was sitting across from Romilda, stood up and said, "Get it through your head -- we don't want you here!" Pointing to the other side of the hall, she continued, "Why don't you go sit over there with the rest of the Slytherin Sluts! That's where you belong now that you're shacked up with that loser, Lucius Malfoy."

Hermione looked at the sneering group of Gryffindors, then around at the other House tables. Every eye was on her, with few of those eyes gazing in sympathy. She looked briefly at the staff table, but no one there was paying any attention.

Her eyes flicked back to Ginny, who continued to stand there implacably with hands on hips, chin jutted forward, her expression daring Hermione to challenge her.

Something inside Hermione snapped. She was tired of always being the reasonable one. Facing Ginny, she addressed the room in general and the Gryffindors in particular.

"I'm sick of all you self-righteous people!" she exclaimed. "The war is over and it's time to move on and look ahead, not carry grudges!" Taking a deep breath, she continued, "None of you have any right to judge my relationship with Lucius Malfoy. It's not hurting any of you and it's none of your business!"

She had everyone's full attention now.

"The Wizengamot saw fit to exonerate Lucius and his family from anything they might have done during the war," she said, now all fired up. "They voted to set Lucius free and give him a chance to take his rightful place in wizarding society and start a new life." Her eyes blazing, she challenged, "Who are any of you to put yourselves over their decision and to continue to judge?

Looking squarely at Ginny, she said, "Your family has never had any use for the Malfoys, but it was Narcissa Malfoy who saved Harry's life during the last battle. And when Fenrir Greyback captured us and took us to Malfoy Manor to turn over to Voldemort, it was Draco who saved his life then, pretending not to recognize him. If not for the Malfoys, you'd have no wedding to look forward to this summer!"

Turning to the staff table, she said defiantly, "I happen to know that Lucius donated a very large sum to help rebuild Hogwarts. And he's also put up the money to start an orphanage for all the children who lost their parents in the war. Everyone has no trouble taking his money when it's convenient, but many see no need to respect him or to give him the benefit of the doubt that he's taken a new path in life."

Now turning to Luna, who had moved to stand with her in solidarity, "And if not for Lucius, neither Luna nor Mr Ollivander would be alive now."

"It's true," Luna said. "Lucius snuck food and medicine to us, and healed Mr Ollivander several times after Voldemort tortured him. We owe our lives to Lucius Malfoy."

"Thank you, Luna," Hermione said warmly, looking at her with gratitude.

"That's all well and good, Miss Granger --" Headmistress McGonagall said, having risen from the table

"Mrs Granger-Malfoy," Hermione interrupted.

"Mrs Granger-Malfoy," McGonagall said in an exasperated voice, as she rolled her eyes and made a 'whatever' motion with her hands. "But it isn't the proper time nor place to discuss your...relationship...with Mr Malfoy. I have announcements to make and the other students wish to eat, so if you could find a seat somewhere and be quiet, I'd greatly appreciate it."

Hermione, stung by Minerva McGonagall's casual dismissal of her concerns, spun on her heel and stalked out of the Great Hall instead. She decided to see to her accommodations, then she'd get something from the house elves to eat in her room.

As she strode along the corridor to get the key to one of the guest rooms from Mr Filch, Professor Slughorn suddenly apparated a dozen feet down the corridor from her.

"Might I have a moment with you?" Slughorn asked.

"Yes, what is it?" Hermione said hesitantly.

"First of all, let me congratulate you on your bonding with Lucius," Slughorn said. "I think you'll be good for one another."

"Thank you, Professor Slughorn," Hermione said, again surprised by the support. "We're very happy."

"I noticed that you left before eating," he said. "I thought you might enjoy a nice chat over dinner in my office."

"That would be nice," she said with a smile. "I accept."

A short time later, they entered Slughorn's office. The elderly wizard indicated an easy chair to Hermione, then seated himself behind his desk.

"Would you like some tea?" he asked. "And something to eat?"

"Yes, please," Hermione said.

Slughorn waved his wand and conjured up a cup of tea for them both. Another wave of his wand produced a platter of different kinds of sandwiches. After Hermione took a sandwich, he turned to Hermione and said, "As I'm sure you've already gathered, I didn't ask you here just to share a meal."

Hermione nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"First of all, I'm sorry to see that your friends have treated you so badly about your bond with Lucius," he said. "Gryffindors have a tendency to accuse Slytherins of pureblood prejudice, but in my experience I've found them just as prone to narrowminded attitudes."

"I've begun to see that," she agreed.

"I loved Albus like a brother, but his overt favoritism toward his Lions could get a bit tiresome at times," he continued. "I often thought that he believed that Gryffindors could do no wrong and Slytherins could do no right. I'm afraid my Snakes didn't have much of a chance when he was Headmaster and I'm sorry to say it hasn't been much different under Minerva."

"Except in Professor Snape's class," she pointed out. "It was definitely the reverse there."

"Ah, Severus, how I miss him!" Slughorn said. "I'm guessing he favored his own house in an attempt to even out how things were for Slytherins everywhere else at Hogwarts." Looking at Hermione again, he said, "But enough about House rivalries for now. What I really wanted to talk to you about was Lucius."

"Go on," she encouraged.

"I've known Lucius since he was a boy," the old wizard said. "I saw him grow up here at Hogwarts. And I wanted to assure you that you did well to choose him; I firmly believe that he's always been a decent man at the core, regardless of how things might have seemed on the surface."

"I know that," Hermione said quietly. "But I appreciate your support. It means a lot to me."

"Lucius had a difficult childhood, as you may or may not know," Slughorn said. "His mother was often absent and his father was strict and sometimes abusive. I suspect his parents had an unhappy marriage and, unfortunately, Abraxas tended to take out his frustrations on Lucius, who was an only child. Abraxas was a martinet and a perfectionist and nothing Lucius did could ever please him."

After taking a sip of tea, he continued, "But Lucius never gave up trying to please him. He worshipped the ground his father walked on; which I considered a badly misplaced devotion, as it was all for naught. Lucius often returned to Hogwarts after holiday breaks covered in bruises and the rumors were that Abraxas punished him for the slightest infractions with the Cruciatus curse."

"Oh, my poor Lucius," she whispered.

"I did the best I could for him while he was my student," Slughorn said. "Lucius was a bright, eager student and I encouraged him in every way possible. I saw him blossom into a confident, popular boy by the time he reached his seventh year. I had great hopes that he would remain on the Light side as an adult and not fall prey to Voldemort's influence."

Heaving a loud sigh, Slughorn said, "But it wasn't quite enough; he still longed for his father's approval. So, when his father insisted he take the Dark Mark, Lucius went along with it, though it was obvious his heart wasn't in it."

Reaching over to pat the young witch's hand, he concluded, "But I wasn't the least bit surprised to hear that he'd finally turned against Voldemort before the end. In fact, I was one of the ones who spoke in his defense to the Wizengamot and recommended he not be sent to Azkaban. Nor was I shocked to hear you and he had bonded together. As I said before, I think you and Lucius have much to offer one another."

"Thank you," Hermione said. "I appreciate your support. Lucius and I are getting precious little of it so far."

"Don't worry about that," the old wizard said affably. "I predict that people will eventually come around. As the old saying goes, 'People who matter don't mind and people who mind, don't matter."

Hermione laughed quietly. "I'll have to remember that one!"

"Well, I've bent your ear long enough and you have a potions lab in the morning," Slughorn said. "So I won't keep you any longer."

As Hermione rose to leave, she said, "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Professor. It means a lot to me."

"Think nothing of it," he said. "I've always been quite fond of both of you."

"Good night, then," Hermione said. "I believe I'll go do a bit of studying before turning in."

"Good night," he replied.

--  
A/N Thanks to all reviewers, subscribers, and other various lurkers reading this story  
A/N Next Chapter: Lucius to the Rescue


	28. Lucius to the Rescue

Lucius Malfoy was feeling antsy as he sat in the library alone, brooding over a glass of cognac. Narcissa was off with her sister Andromeda, busy with the final steps in getting the orphanage up and running. Draco had taken Daphne Greengrass out on a double date with Greg Goyle and Millicent Bulstrode.

Left to his own devices, Lucius realized that he missed Hermione more than he thought he would. They'd only been apart for a few days, but his thoughts had frequently turned to his young consort in that space of time.

At first, he'd been delighted to return to his first family and to the life he'd always known. But he soon realized that Hermione's presence in his life had made an indelible mark on him and that things would never be exactly as they were again.

His family hadn't changed; it was Lucius who was different. Narcissa was still the same perfect pureblood wife he'd married so many years before. Indeed, he appreciated her more now than ever because she'd accepted his relationship with Hermione with the same grace she'd accepted everything else he'd ever done. Nevertheless, he now saw the difference between a successful arranged marriage and a relationship he'd freely chosen himself.

He and Narcissa had made love the first night he'd been back, but it had happened because Narcissa knew it was expected of her as a proper pureblood wife, not because she'd hungered for his touch during the month they'd been apart. Narcissa had always taken a properly correct attitude toward their sex life, but after they'd coupled the other night, it dawned on Lucius that Narcissa would likely have been just as happy with a quick peck on the cheek before going to sleep.

Lucius had realized shortly after they'd been married that Narcissa didn't have much of a libido and exhibited little passion when they did make love. He'd solved that problem by frequently going to other women for sex over the years, which helped him to remain content with his marriage, as Narcissa was an agreeable wife otherwise, and a wonderful mother to Draco.

But even this solution had been wanting, as the other women had merely wanted to get laid by Luscious Lucius; they cared little for the man himself. Since being home, he'd realized that his relationship with Hermione was unique: she cared about the man he was personally, while lusting after him as a lover at the same time. This more than made of for the fact that she was muggleborn and would never fit into pureblood society.

But with both women, he now had it all, he thought with a satisfied smile.

His relationship with Draco was pretty much the same as it always had been, though now somewhat strained. They both had carefully avoided talking about his relationship with Hermione since he'd been home.

They'd played chess the night before, but hadn't talked much, keeping their concentration on the game. Lucius had taught Draco how to play chess long before he started at Hogwarts, and now they played more or less as equals.

That afternoon, he, Draco, and several of Draco's Slytherin friends had gone to their private Quidditch pitch on a back lot behind the manor, and played a few rounds. Father and son had played on the same team and even though Lucius had been a Seeker during his years on the Hogwarts Slytherin team, he'd played Chaser, with Draco as Seeker and Greg Goyle as Beater. Though Lucius hadn't played Quidditch in years, this didn't keep their team from beating the other team two out of three.

As Lucius sat there reliving the high points of the game in his mind, a house elf came into the library holding a parchment envelope.

"Yes, Snappy, what is it?" he said, acknowledging the small creature with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Master has an owl message," the elf said, extending the envelope to him.

"That will be all," Lucius said after he'd taken the paper. He frowned in confusion as he recognized the handwriting on the envelope; it was from his old Potions professor, Horace Slughorn. Lucius had not heard from the old man in years and wondered why he was contacting him now.

After reading the short note, Lucius saw red and threw the note down in disgust. Slughorn had written to let him know about the confrontation Hermione had had with Ginny Weasley and the Gryffindor table that night at the Great Hall. Slughorn had also mentioned that Minerva McGonagall had done nothing to help Hermione.

Deciding that his consort could use some moral support, Lucius packed an overnight bag then apparated directly to the gates of Hogwarts. Before leaving, he'd instructed Snappy to tell Narcissa and Draco where he'd gone after they returned.

--

Hermione sat at the small desk in the guest accommodations at Hogwarts, but she couldn't concentrate on her studying. Her thoughts kept returning to what had happened earlier in the Great Hall. And the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Professor Slughorn had been right; the Gryffindors could be every bit as narrow minded as Slytherins could be, but with their own especially self-righteous twist.

As she sat there, still fuming about the day's events, a knock came at the door. "I wonder who that could be?" she thought out loud as she went to answer.

"Lucius!" she said in surprise when she opened the door to find her consort standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm glad to see you, too," he quipped as she opened the door wider to let him in.

"I'm glad to see you," she said, wrapping her arms around him to give him a welcoming kiss. "I just didn't expect to see you here. This is your week with Narcissa, after all."

"I got an owl from Horace Slughorn," Lucius explained. "He told me about how the Weasley girl and the rest of the Gryffindors publicly snubbed you this evening in the Great Hall. And he also mentioned that Minerva McGonagall did nothing to ease the situation. I came because I thought you could use some moral support."

"Thank you, Lucius," Hermione said quietly, leaning her head against his chest. "But I'm all right; I handled it just fine."

"Slughorn told me that, too," Lucius said with a chuckle. "He said you really gave her hell."

"I admit I lost my temper," Hermione said. "It had been a bad day overall. Lavender Brown had called me a whore on the train, Ginny and I had words on the train, and then Hagrid snubbed me at the station. All because of my relationship with you; something that doesn't affect their lives in any way! So when the the Gryffindors wouldn't let me sit at the table for dinner and Ginny told me to sit with the "Slytherin Sluts", then called you a 'loser', I'd had enough."

Lucius snickered heartily. "Forgive me for laughing, but I find it rather ironic that any Weasley could refer to anyone, particularly me, as a loser," he said. "And for her to call anyone a 'slut' is highly presumptuous. Draco once told me that the boys in all the houses had nicknamed her 'The School Broom', because everyone got to ride her." His tone serious once more, he continued, "But I greatly appreciate you defending me publicly -- Horace told me what you said."

"You're my consort," Hermione said quietly. "I care for you. I'm not going to just stand by and let people take gratuitous pot-shots at you." She didn't tell him that her feelings for him had now deepened considerably, even though his showing up at Hogwarts would seem to indicate that his feelings for her had deepened as well.

They gazed at one another for a long while, their eyes expressing what they could not yet say. After a few moments, Lucius took her hand and said gruffly, "Let's go to bed. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," she murmured as she undid the clasps on his robe, her books now forgotten.

They didn't say anything for the next few moments as they feverishly tore at one another's clothing in their haste to feed their hunger for each other.

As they fell back upon the bed, Hermione frowned, as she suddenly remembered the room was equipped with only a twin bed.

"Let me handle that," Lucius said, pulling his wand from his discarded clothing. With a brief flick of the wand, the bed expanded to comfortably accommodate them both.

Quite some time later, Hermione fell asleep in Lucius' arms, her head on his chest, the aggravations of the day forgotten.

--  
A/N Thanks to my readers: You are great!  
A/N Next Chapter: Lucius Confronts McGonagall


	29. Lucius Confronts McGonagall

The next morning, Lucius accompanied Hermione to breakfast in the Great Hall.

"Remember, hold your head high," Lucius told her just before they entered the large room. "Act as if the Gryffindors don't exist. They are beneath your notice."

Hermione smiled up at her consort, slipping her hand into the crook of his arm as they made their entrance, but otherwise said nothing.

"And we'll be sitting at the Slytherin table," Lucius informed her. "None of them would dare to snub us."

All conversations ceased for a long moment as the couple entered the room. Heads craned around to get a better look as they made their way over to the Slytherin table. Hermione was nervous, but did as Lucius directed, controlling her urge to look to see how Ginny was reacting.

Before they reached the table, the silence ended as conversations resumed into a frantic, gossiping buzz. Hermione could hear snatches of conversation as she passed the other three House tables:

_"Look at her, all high and mighty..."_

_"I wonder if he's good in bed..."_

_"Ron Weasley must be rolling in his grave..."_

_"That slimy git belongs in Azkaban..._"

As they reached the Slytherin table, Lucius was stunned to see how few Slytherins there were compared to the other three houses. He'd figured that the most diehard supporters of Voldemort, who'd refused to change their ways after the war had ended, would be sending their children to other schools.

But he never thought it would be this many, as quite a few Slytherin families had never had any involvement with Voldemort. Lucius figured that the long years of Dumbledore favoring his own house had taken its toll. From his own experience and that of Draco, Dumbledore had made little effort over the years to ensure that Slytherin House was treated fairly, thus tacitly encouraging the prejudice exhibited against its students. Lucius guessed that many Slytherin parents simply got tired of the guilt-by-association attitudes that no doubt had intensified after the war, and had given up and sent their children elsewhere. He belatedly remembered Draco telling him of seeing a few younger Slytherin housemates at the Salem Institute.

Now seated at the table, facing away from the Gryffindors, Lucius turned to Hermione and told her of his concerns about Slytherin.

"Well, I'd planned to show Salem's master sorting test to Headmistress McGonagall while I was here," Hermione told him. "I'd thought it might result in sorting that was more fair which would reduce house rivalries."

"It could help to sort more students into Slytherin," Lucius agreed. "And it's possible that a different sorting system might help to rehabilitate Slytherin's image now that the war is over."

"But considering the way she treated me yesterday, I figured, 'why bother'," Hermione concluded, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture to emphasize her point.

"I'm guessing that Minerva McGonagall would probably be delighted to see the demise of Slytherin House," Lucius said. "When she was my Transfiguration professor, I remember that she always got a look on her face like she'd just swallowed a mouthful of sour milk every time she said the word 'Slytherin'".

"She still does," Hermione said, laughing. "Nothing has changed there."

"But I will do what I can to help preserve Slytherin House," Lucius vowed. "With or without her help. After all, at her age, she can't be Headmistress all that much longer." After taking a bite of his food, he said, "I'll mention my concerns about Slytherin to her, but I'm guessing it would be more effective to give that test to Horace Slughorn and let him see what he can do with it."

"All right," she said. "I'll give it to him after potions.

Changing the subject, Lucius said, "Enough about that for now. I was thinking it was time for you to acquire a midwife and to start your pre-natal care."

"You're right," Hermione said. "When I went shopping the other day, my mother had mentioned that I ought to make an appointment with an obstetrician, but I'm guessing that a muggle doctor might not be appropriate for a magical pregnancy."

"That's true," Lucius replied. "I've taken the liberty of setting up an appointment for you with the midwife who delivered Draco. Narcissa was happy with her, so I thought you might like her as well."

"When is the appointment," she asked.

"Tomorrow at St. Mungo's," he told her. "I'll be going with you, as she prefers to see both parents for the initial visit at least."

At that moment, they both felt a gentle hand touch each of their shoulders. They both turned to find Luna standing behind them, smiling down at them both.

Looking at Lucius, Luna said, "I just wanted to offer my congratulations to you and Hermione on your bonding. You two are so right for one another!"

"Thank you, Miss Lovegood," Lucius said, giving the young witch a sincere smile. "I also want to thank you for coming to Hermione's defense yesterday. I am quite grateful for your support."

"I only spoke the truth," she said. "That's what friends do."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed.

"I've got to leave early for class," she told them. "So, I'll leave you to your breakfast."

"I hope to see you soon," Hermione said, meaning it.

"My father and I are living in Diagon Alley now," she said, turning to leave. "So I imagine we'll see each other in the summer."

After Luna left, the couple spent the rest of breakfast talking more about Hermione's pre-natal care and other mundane matters. All too soon, it was time for her to go to her Potions lab.

"I shouldn't be too long," Hermione told Lucius as they left the Great Hall. "I just have to do the Potions lab, then turn in all my papers for the other classes at the Homeschooling Students' Office."

Spotting Minerva McGonagall heading down the hall ahead of them, Lucius told her, "I need to have a word with the Headmistress, so I'll see you later." After giving Hermione a hug and a kiss, promising to meet her later at the library, he hurried to catch up with the Headmistress.

"Headmistress McGonagall?" Lucius said with an imperious voice as he came alongside her. "Might I have a few words with you? I think we need to talk."

"I suspected that you might think that," she said, sighing audibly at the sight of the haughty blond wizard. "Very well, then. Let's go to my office and get this over with."

A few moments later, Lucius rode up the spiral staircase with the Headmistress to her office in silence. Once they'd reached the top, she turned to him and said, "Please go in and have a seat. I'll be with you in a moment." Not waiting for his reply, she disappeared through a doorway to the left of the main office.

He'd not been in the office since well before Dumbledore's death, but as he looked around, he saw that the witch had done little to change the decor. He noted the addition of two new portraits since his last visit and moved to sit in the easy chair nearest the portrait of Severus Snape.

"Lucius," Snape said, looking down at him. "I'd heard you'd escaped Azkaban yet again. I don't know how you always manage to come out of every situation smelling like a rose."

"It's too bad you didn't," Lucius replied. "I miss our conversations." Looking squarely at the portrait, he confided. "And I always knew you were playing both sides against the middle. I never let on to the Dark Lord, however."

"I figured you did," Snape affirmed, having known that Malfoy had always had conflicting loyalties himself.

"Voldemort never caught on, you know," Lucius told him. "He wasn't as good a Legilimens as you were an Occlumens, Severus. He'd have gone to his grave never knowing if Potter hadn't clued him in."

"That's good to know," Snape said quietly. "So, what brings you to Hogwarts today, Lucius?"

Before Lucius could answer, Minerva McGonagall swept into the room and seated herself behind her desk. Folding her hands in front of her, she asked briskly, "So, Mr Malfoy. What can I do for you?"

"I was informed that Ginevra Weasley instigated a confrontation with my consort last night as she attempted to join her House table for the evening meal," Lucius said with a hint of frost in his voice. "My source also told me that you did nothing to rectify the matter, but instead spoke sharply to Hermione as if she were the source of the disturbance."

"I don't know what Hermione told you, but..." McGonagall began.

"Hermione didn't tell me anything," Lucius interrupted coldly. "I was informed by a professor." After a pause, he asserted, "It is your job to nip such disturbances in the bud and to deal appropriately with the perpetrators," .

"I don't need a former Death Eater telling me how to do my job," McGonagall retorted, her voice icy.

Rising from his seat, he placed both hands on the desk to glare down at her. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear," he said in a deceptively soft tone of voice. "Hermione is pregnant and I simply won't stand for anyone harassing her and giving her unnecessary stress."

As the Headmistress opened her mouth to reply, Lucius held up his hand to let her know he wasn't finished yet. "Hermione is an exemplary student; she's probably one of the best students Hogwarts has seen in the 20th century," he said. "She deserves respect and her relationship with me should have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the respect she has so richly earned. It's uncalled for and unnecessary for anyone to express their opinion of our relationship to Hermione. It's none of their business."

Before McGonagall could reply, he continued. "I don't care what you or anyone else here thinks of me. That's your own business and your own problem." Regarding her with a raised eyebrow, he observed, "But it seems as if people here have some rather selective memories, considering that much of the rebuilding of Hogwarts was made possible by my generous donations. It would be such a shame if I was given reason to curtail any future contributions to the rebuilding fund."

Lucius stepped back from the desk, confident he'd gotten his message across.

"You've made your point, Mr Malfoy," she said heavily. "I will instruct students to keep their opinions to themselves on this matter."

"Excellent," he said, turning to leave. "Thank you for your time."

He swept out of the room, pretending not to hear when she muttered, "Bloody arrogant git" under her breath as he left.

--  
A/N Nearly 300 reviews! Thanks, everyone!  
A/N The advice Lucius gave Hermione: to act as if the Gryffindors "didn't exist" is the same advice my father gave me as a kid to handle those kids in school who gave me a hard time.  
A/N New blog entry: My Wand. As usual, the blog can be accessed from my profile  
A/N Next Chapter: Lunch at Rosmerta's


	30. Lunch at Rosmerta's

Two hours later, Hermione met Lucius in the library. She found him ensconced comfortably in an alcove easy chair reading the _Daily Prophet, _completely unruffled by gossiping students in study carrels a few feet from him. Lucius sensed her approach and looked up with a smile as she reached him.

"Ah, there you are," he said. "Are you through?"

"Yes," she said. "I hope you weren't too bored waiting for me."

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I met with McGonagall, then walked the grounds for a bit, and I've only been in here a half hour or so. I thought we could go into Hogsmeade for lunch before flooing back home."

"I'd like that," Hermione said.

"We'll eat as Rosmerta's then, "Lucius said, the matter settled.

As soon as they entered the Three Broomsticks a short time later, Rosmerta herself hurried over to the couple.

"Lucius Malfoy!" she said with a wicked grin, hands on hips. "You old devil, you! I don't think I've seen you in here in more than two years!"

"Circumstances beyond my control, my dear," Lucius told her, smiling back at her with a knowing look. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I'm sure you know my consort, Hermione?"

"Oh, yes," Rosmerta said, smiling. "You're a lucky girl, Hermione! You'll never be bored with Lucius!"

Hermione gave her an uncertain smile, wondering just how well she knew Lucius.

"Hermione and I are expecting," Lucius told her proudly. "In September."

"Congratulations!" Rosmerta said, giving him a sly wink. "I knew you still had it in you!" Turning to a barmaid standing nearby, she said, "Bring a bottle of our finest wine for the happy couple! On the house!" Her attention back on Lucius and Hermione, she led them to their table, then said, "I've got to get back to work now, but if there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to call me."

"Thank you," Lucius said. "Hermione and I appreciate it."

"I didn't know you were friendly with Rosmerta," Hermione observed carefully, trying not to feel jealous, though it was obvious that Rosmerta was crazy about Lucius.

"There's no need to be concerned, Hermione," he said soothingly, secretly pleased that Hermione felt possessive of him. "Rosmerta and I have been friends since our Hogwarts years; we were in the same year."

Lucius thought it best not to mention that he and Rosmerta had been lovers on and off over the years, though they'd never been in love. Rather, she'd been one of the "friends with benefits" in his life. As it stood now, he'd not been to visit her in several years, not since Draco's third year. Gazing fondly at Hermione, he doubted he'd ever feel the need again to visit Rosmerta. He reached under the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze to drive home his point.

"How did it go with the Headmistress?" Hermione asked, changing the subject, wishing she could have been a fly on the wall for that particular meeting.

"Let's just say that you'll not have any more problems with Ginevra Weasley or others of her ilk," Lucius told her. "I made it quite clear to her that I wouldn't stand for you being harassed in any way, making sure to inform her of your pregnancy."

"I can't imagine that went over well with her," Hermione noted. "Professor McGonagall has always had a strong stubborn streak."

"No, it didn't," Lucius chuckled. "Let's just say I gave her a rather persuasive reason to see things my way."

"Lucius!" Hermione exclaimed, knowing it was difficult to intimidate Minerva McGonagall."What did you say to her!"

"I simply reminded her on which side her bread is buttered," he said smoothly. "That is, I told her that if Hogwarts wishes to continue receiving my generous donations to the rebuilding fund, it would behoove her to make sure my consort is treated with the respect she deserves."

"You didn't have to do that," she said. "It's only for a few more months. I could have managed."

"On the contrary, my dear," he told her. "What kind of a consort would I be if I didn't act to protect you and our child and see to your interests? A Malfoy always honors his commitments." Taking her hands in his own, he added in a low voice, "And protects those he cares for."

Hermione smiled up at him, feeling supremely cherished. After a moment, a pensive expression came over her face.

"What are you thinking about," he asked. He'd been with Hermione long enough to tell when she had something on her mind.

"I was remembering back to my third year; the incident with Buckbeak, the hippogriff," she said. "At the time, I hated you for making such a big stink over what happened to Draco, because it resulted in Buckbeak being condemned to death." After a pause, she said, "Most of the students thought Draco got what he deserved because he'd teased Buckbeak. I thought so, too, at the time, but now that I'm older, I realize that it wasn't quite that simple"

"Indeed," Lucius said. "This was part of the problem I had with that fucking simpleton, Hagrid, being allowed to teach Care of Magical Creatures. Dumbledore would never hear a word against him, but Hagrid was entirely irresponsible when it came to handling magical creatures in the presence of students."

He took a sip of his wine, then continued, "A hippogriff is a wild animal, thus unpredictable. Children, also, are unpredictable and when you put the two together, anything can happen. Hagrid was careless and never took the proper precautions in his classes. Yes, Draco did a stupid thing, but Hagrid should have made sure there wasn't any way for a student to get near the hippogriff without supervision -- Draco was a child and Hagrid was supposed to be the responsible adult. Draco was lucky to get by with as minor of an injury as he did, but he easily could have been killed."

"You're right," Hermione said quietly.

"I went to Dumbledore, insisting that Hagrid be sacked, as it wasn't the first time he'd been careless," Lucius said. "But when Dumbledore all but laughed at me, I had to take it further to make sure something like that wouldn't happen again to another student."

After a pause, he observed, "It's unfortunate that the ministry chose to condemn the hippogriff, as it was, after all, a wild animal acting according to its nature, but I'd do it again if I had to. When the choice is between my son's safety and the life of a hippogriff, there's only one choice to be made. My family comes first."

"I understand that now," Hermione said. "That's why your conversation with Professor McGonagall reminded me of that." Smiling up at him, she added silently to herself, "_And that's why I love you_."

"And once our baby is born, you'll understand even more," he told her. "You will do everything in your power to protect him from harm."

"Or her," Hermione interjected.

"Or her," Lucius amended, smiling.

Changing the subject yet again, Hermione asked Lucius, "So, how did your days go while you were back at Malfoy Manor?"

"Pretty well," Lucius replied. "Narcissa was quite busy with the orphanage, but Draco and I did a few things together." With a rueful chuckle he said, "I actually played Quidditch with him and his friends."

"I would have liked to have seen that!" Hermione said, grinning.

"I'll have you know that we won two out of three times!" Lucius said. "I haven't lost my touch."

"Did you play when you went to Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Of course," he said. "Malfoys always play Quidditch. I was a Seeker like Draco and like my father before me." After a pause, he admitted, "But I played Chaser yesterday, as I'm really too tall now to be an effective Seeker."

"And not as skinny, either," she teased, playfully poking him in the middle.

"Well, at least I'm too skinny to be a good Beater," he insisted."

"I like you just the way you are," she said, squeezing his hand. "Not too skinny, not at all fat. Just right."

"I'm glad you approve," Lucius said dryly, with the barest hint of a grin on his face.

A short time later, Lucius quietly paid the bill, then he and Hermione slipped out into the street.

"There's one more thing I want to do before we go home," Lucius said as they approached the back gate of Hogwarts, where Argus Filch waited to let them in.

"What?" she asked as they re-entered the school grounds.

"I wanted to pay my respects to Severus Snape," he said, as they approached the small school cemetery. "I haven't been able to visit before."

Before they reached the small, unassuming headstone that marked the long-suffering Potion Master's grave, Lucius plucked some wildflowers that grew at the edge of the cemetery and transformed them into lilies.

Hermione was surprised by his choice of flower. "You knew, didn't you," she said softly as he placed the lilies on top of the tombstone.

"Of course I knew," Lucius affirmed. "Severus was my best friend. I knew how he felt about Lily Evans when they were both 12 year old second years. And I'd long ago assumed that he turned back to the Light side because of how she died."

After a long moment contemplating the wastefulness of his friend's death, he continued, "But for both our safety's sake, I never spoke of it to him, nor he to me." Heaving a loud sigh, he said, "I feigned ignorance of his true loyalties all those years and was just damned lucky that Severus was a better Occlumens than the Dark Lord was a Legilimens."

Hermione squeezed his hand in silent sympathy, then reached up to give him a gentle kiss. "That's what a true friend does," she whispered, echoing Luna's comments earlier that day.

"Let's go home," Lucius said gruffly, wanting to get out of the cemetery before he embarrassed himself with tears.

Hermione didn't say anything as they left the cemetery hand in hand, instinctively knowing he wanted to grieve in silence.

Once they'd passed to the outside of the wards protecting the grounds, they apparated back to the penthouse.

--  
A/N Your reviews make my day! Keep them coming!  
A/N Blog Entry: Malfoy Manor. As usual the blog can be accessed through my profile page  
A/N Next Chapter: Conversation at Bedtime


	31. Conversation at Bedtime

After the couple had apparated into the foyer of the penthouse and were walking down the corridor to their bedroom, Lucius immediately noticed the addition of William Tavington's portrait to the wall.

"When did you hang this portrait?" Lucius asked, his tone of voice not giving any hints as to what he thought about it.

"The other morning, after you left for Malfoy Manor," Hermione answered. "Your great grandfather Rufus told me where the portrait was, and I couldn't bear to leave him in the closet." After a pause, she said, "I hope you don't mind."

"No, I have no objections," he told her. "Actually, I'd brought his portrait here from the Manor about ten years ago, after my father had threatened to destroy it if I didn't remove it from the wall there. This portrait was one of my favorites from my childhood, but Father said to get rid of it so the Dark Lord wouldn't know we had a squib ancestor. I put in the closet here for safekeeping, intending to hang it again once the Dark Lord was defeated. I'd just forgotten it was in there."

"I'm glad you don't mind," Hermione said. "I felt sorry for him all alone in the closet."

--

Later that night when Hermione and Lucius were getting ready for bed, there was a tentative knock on their bedroom door. Hermione hurriedly slipped a robe over her naked body to open the door for Breezy.

"It's late, Breezy," Hermione said. "What is it?"

"Begging your pardon, Mistress," the small elf squeaked. "But you have an owl message." She extended the small envelope up to Hermione.

"Thank you," Hermione said. "You should go to bed now. You've done enough for today."

Breezy dipped her head slightly in gratitude, then hurried off to do as Hermione had suggested.

Returning to sit on the bed, she recognized her mother's handwriting on the envelope. She was still reading when Lucius came out of the bathroom a few moments later after brushing his teeth.

"Who is that from?" he asked, sitting on the other side of the bed to brush out his luxuriant long blond hair.

"My mother," Hermione said briefly, still reading.

"Anything interesting?" Lucius prodded, continuing to work the brush through his silky hair.

"She wants to throw us a party to celebrate our bonding," she said. "Except she says she'd call it a 'wedding party' and that she'll tell people you and I are husband and wife because no one will understand about consort bondings in the muggle world."

"I can see how that would be easier," Lucius allowed. "Just what kind of party does she intend?"

"Just a small low-key gathering for family and a few close friends," she said. "Apparently, my grandmother was more than a little miffed when Mum told her about our 'wedding'; that we didn't invite her or come around to see her."

She laid the paper down, then moved to sit by Lucius, taking the brush from his hand to continue brushing his hair. She loved to groom his hair and a nightly brushing had become one of their regular nighttime rituals.

"So, essentially a gathering where they all can gawk at me like a tiger in a zoo," he said, not at all thrilled at spending an evening with with a houseful of muggles.

"I'm sorry, Lucius," she said, knowing it would be difficult for him. "I know that you're not comfortable around muggles, but we need to introduce you to the family, so that they'll stop pestering Mum and Dad about my so-called 'lack of manners'. Mum figured it would be best to get it out of the way all at once, so she suggested the party. It would be at the house and informal, so that should help some."

Pausing in mid brush stroke, she added, "I guarantee they'll all pretty much lose interest once they've indulged their curiosity and would be pretty well satisfied from then on with Christmas cards and the eventual baby pictures."

"When is it?" Lucius asked, heaving a sigh. "I guess I can behave myself for one night."

"Next Saturday night," she said, reaching up to give him a kiss. "Thank you. Mum will appreciate it immensely."

"I'm doing it for you," he said, repressing the sigh he felt.

Changing the subject, he said, "I need to get your input on something."

"Of course," she said. "What is it?"

"Draco went out on a date the other night with Daphne Greengrass, and that got me to thinking more seriously about his future marriage," Lucius began. "Daphne is an improvement over Pansy Parkinson, but she seems rather a boring, dull witted girl. I would hate to see him married to someone like that. She's a Slytherin and a pureblood, but she's got nothing else going for her. And I'm afraid that none of the Slytherin girls of an appropriate age for Draco are much better."

"Does he really need to be thinking of marriage already?" Hermione asked. "He's got plenty of time for that."

"Normally, I would basically agree with you," Lucius said. "But with the current population crisis, it would probably be useful for Draco to get on with the process. Marriage tends to take place somewhat earlier in the wizarding world than in the muggle world, anyway."

"Well, you know he doesn't _have_ to marry a Slytherin," she pointed out. "Or even a pureblood, for that matter."

"That's true," he said noncommittally. He'd compromise on Draco's future wife with her not necessarily being a Slytherin, but only in the direst of circumstances would he entertain the idea of his son marrying a woman who wasn't pureblooded.

After a moment's thought, he said quietly, "Tell me about Luna Lovegood."

"Luna?" Hermione was shocked that he'd consider her as a possible bride for Draco. Masking her surprise, she said, "Well, I suppose you already know that she's a pureblood and a Ravenclaw."

"Yes," he confirmed. "But I wanted to know more about her character and personality; whether she'd be compatible with Draco. They got to know one another somewhat when the Dark Lord kept her imprisoned at Malfoy Manor, but those were hardly normal circumstances."

"Well, she's rather eccentric," Hermione began slowly. "Some people called her 'Loony Lovegood' at school."

"From what I know of Xeno Lovegood, that's not surprising," Lucius observed. "Her mother and I went to Hogwarts at about the same time; she was a year or two behind me as I remember. People were rather surprised when she married Xeno Lovegood, a lifelong bachelor, who had been one of her father's friends."

"She's not crazy, though" Hermione was quick to assure him. "Actually, she's rather insightful with an ability to cut straight to the heart of a matter. But she has a tendency to openly speak of things most people leave unspoken and her frankness tends to make people uncomfortable." After a moment, she said. "And she's gullible about believing all her father's conspiracies and in magical creatures that no one has ever seen. But that comes from respecting and having faith in her father, not from being delusional."

"Yes, I've read the _Quibbler_ a time or two," Lucius said, smiling. "It was rather amusing, to say the least."

"But more importantly, Luna is intensely loyal," Hermione said. "She has a kind heart and she's a faithful friend to those she cares about."

"She's proved that with you," Lucius agreed.

"She's a good listener and a resourceful thinker," she continued. "She'd definitely be a good wife to the right man and I'm sure she'd be a devoted mother."

"She sounds as if she might be a possibility," Lucius said. "But I'd naturally want to discuss this with Narcissa first before I'd ever suggest her to Draco."

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "I hope I was helpful."

"Very much so," he said. "If Narcissa agrees, we'll invite Luna to lunch sometime. Perhaps, at first, we'll invite her to the penthouse one Saturday afternoon when we're having Draco over, rather than at Malfoy Manor, so it seems more like you're inviting an old friend to lunch rather than matchmaking. If they seem to be getting along well, then Narcissa can invite her, and eventually her father as well, to dinner at Malfoy Manor."

"That's a good idea," Hermione agreed. "I'd like to have her over at the penthouse anyway, sometime, whether or not she or Draco ever connect. Right now I need all the friends I can get."

"A good ally is always worth cultivating," Lucius concurred. "And perhaps with a little guidance from you, she might grow out of her gullible nature."

Taking the brush out of her hand and setting it on the nightstand, he said, "That's enough for tonight. We've got better things to do."

"I couldn't agree more," she murmured as he took her into his arms and lowered her to the bed.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my faithful readers and reviewers. It's what keeps me writing!  
A/N Next Chapter: Visiting the Midwife


	32. Visiting the Midwife

The next morning, directly after breakfast, Lucius accompanied Hermione to her appointment at St Mungo's. They arrived by floo in the main lobby, with curious glances following them as Lucius led her toward the midwife's office.

As the couple entered the midwife's waiting room, Hermione was surprised to see the room nearly filled with pregnant witches in various stages of pregnancy, some accompanied by their husbands or male partners. She looked around nervously, but did not see anyone she knew in the room. Lucius however, recognized several people, all of whom were not bold enough to make comments. Rather, those who knew Lucius, either through experience or by reputation, looked away, suddenly intent on matters of their own personal business.

"Let's sit over here," Lucius said, leading her to two unoccupied chairs along the far wall.

They sat down next to a woman about ten years Hermione's senior who was in the late stages of pregnancy. Hermione gave her a tentative smile and asked, "How long until your baby is due?"

"It should be any time now," the young woman replied. "It's my third, so it's old hat to me now." Smiling at Hermione and Lucius she said, "Your first?"

"It's my first, yes," Hermione replied. Indicating Lucius, she said, "It's his second, though."

"Well, at least one of you will know what to do when the baby is born," the other witch said with a laugh.

"Indeed," Lucius said with a wry smile. "But I imagine Hermione will learn quickly."

Giving Hermione a sly wink, the other woman observed, "That's one handsome wizard you've got there. I'm jealous."

"Thank you," Hermione said with a smile. "I like to think so." It was apparent to her that the other woman did not recognize either of them and she was glad to have a simple, normal conversation with someone for a change.

About twenty minutes later, the receptionist called out, "Hermione Granger-Malfoy!"

"This is it," Hermione said to Lucius as they stood to enter the inner office. A moment later they were ushered into the midwife's office.

A few moments after they'd seated themselves in comfortable easy chairs that faced the desk, the midwife entered the room. In late middle age, she had been a practicing midwife for nearly 40 years and had delivered hundreds of babies.

"Mr Malfoy! It's so good to see you again," Calandra Jones said, smiling broadly at Lucius. "When I saw the notice of your bonding the _Daily Prophet_, I knew I'd be seeing you again soon!"

After seating herself behind the desk, she asked, "How is Draco doing? I'll bet he's grown into a fine young man by now."

"Draco has turned out quite well," Lucius replied, pleased that she'd asked about him. "When we found out that Hermione was pregnant, I didn't consider anyone else to be her midwife."

Turning to Hermione, the older woman introduced herself. "I'm Calandra Jones. As you probably know, I delivered Draco and I'll be honored to deliver your baby as well."

"Thank you," Hermione said, feeling immediately comfortable with the motherly witch.

"I'll just need to ask you a few questions, then I'll give you an examination to see how you're doing," the other witch said. "First of all, did you grow up in the wizarding world, or are you muggleborn?"

"I'm muggleborn," Hermione replied, her voice slightly testy. "Why do you ask?"

"I mean no disrespect," Calandra was quick to assure her. "I asked because pre-natal care tends to be rather different for witches than it is in the muggle world. I have a book I give to muggleborn witches that goes over those differences and tells them what they can expect with a magical pregnancy that will differ from those of her mother and other muggle relatives." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "For instance, witches tend to have periodic sneezing bouts when pregnant, rather than getting too much morning sickness."

The older witch picked up a book she had lying on the desk and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione glanced at the title, "_Magical Pregnancy: What a Muggleborn Witch May Expect"_ before reducing it and putting it in her pocket.

"Thank you," Hermione said in a more humble voice. "This should be helpful." She made a mental note to pay a visit to Flourish and Blotts to see what else they had on magical pregnancy and childcare.

"If you have any questions after reading the book, please feel free to owl me," the older woman said.

"Thank you, I will," Hermione said.

Rising from the seat she said, "And if you'll come this way, I'll give you a brief examination to make sure everything is in order and to find out the sex of the baby." Turning to Lucius, "We won't be but a few minutes."

"Take your time," Lucius told her. "I'll find something to read in here while you're gone."

Twenty minutes, Lucius looked up from the magazine he was reading when the two women entered the room. Looking at them expectantly, he said, "Well?"

"You'll be pleased to know that Hermione is in excellent health and that her pregnancy is progressing exactly as it should," Calandra told him. "I'll let Hermione tell you the rest."

"It's a girl!" Hermione said, smiling happily.

Lucius grinned stupidly at the news. He stood up and gathered Hermione into his arms. "A little girl," he said, giving her a gentle kiss. "I've always wanted to have a daughter."

"Congratulations!" Calandra Jones said. After a few moments, she said, "Hermione will need to visit once a month and perhaps she might wish to sign up for the pre-natal classes St Mungo's offers."

"Thank you," Hermione said as the midwife handed her an information packet about the pre-natal classes and a prescription for a pre-natal potion. "I'll certainly consider it."

"I hate to rush you, but I have more patients I need to see," the older woman said. "It seems as if people are taking the Ministry's suggestion to have more children to heart." As she escorted the couple to the door, she said, "I'll see you in a month, Hermione. Be sure to take some of the potion I prescribed to you every day."

After leaving the midwife's office, Hermione and Lucius headed back down the corridor leading back to the waiting room. Just before Hermione reached out to open the door, it opened from the other side. As the door swung open, Hermione stepped back to avoid bumping into the person coming through.

As it was, she barely avoided colliding with Ginny Weasley, who had practically barreled through the door, with Harry close on her heels.

Ginny narrowed her eyes in distaste when she saw the Malfoys. "Come on, Harry," she said, sounding just like her mother. "It stinks in here."

Harry gave Hermione a sheepish look when he saw her, but did not otherwise speak.

Ginny glared at Lucius and said, "Didn't waste any time knocking her up, did you?"

Lucius curled his lip at her in scorn. "And it would seem as if the school broom has been ridden one too many times," he murmured, leaning close to Ginny so only she would hear.

Harry didn't hear what Lucius said, but when he saw her face redden, combined with narrowed eyes and tightened lips, he knew Ginny was about to make a scene if he didn't move her along.

"Come on, Ginny!" he said. "He's not worth it!" He took her arm and hurried her down to the office that the Malfoys had just vacated.

Lucius smirked briefly at the retreating couple, then said quietly to Hermione, "Why don't we go somewhere nice for lunch?"

"Yes, let's," she said, by now inured to Ginny's treatment of her. "Then I'd like to visit Flourish and Blotts. And we probably should go to the Apothecary and fill that prescription."

"I'll have Breezy take care of the prescription," Lucius said, as they left the hospital. "Attending to such things are properly part of her household duties."

A short time later, they were seated at a table in a cafe near Flourish and Blotts.

As they waited for their food, Hermione turned to Lucius and confided, "I've been thinking of baby names since I first found out I was pregnant. I think I've settled on a name, but I want to hear your preferences before I tell you."

"I really have no strong preferences," Lucius told her. "I only ask that you don't suggest she be named Persephone."

Hermione laughed merrily. "I promise you, I never considered _that_ particular name."

"So, what are the names you've chosen?" he demanded. "I'm curious."

"There's no point in listing all the names I considered," Hermione said. "I have a preference, but I'll give you my short list of five girls' names." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "My five favorite are Lucinda, Julia, Tallulah, Galatea, and Athena. Out of those names, I prefer Lucinda, because I'd really like to name our daughter after you."

"You flatter me," Lucius said, touched that Hermione would choose to honor him in this way. He squeezed her hand to express the emotion he could not yet voice.

"I'd also like to honor my mother by giving her Jane as a middle name," she added. "If you don't mind."

"It's your middle name as well," Lucius noted. "I have no objections."

"So it's settled then?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Lucius replied. "Lucinda Jane Malfoy it is."

--  
A/N Thanks once again to my faithful and loyal reviewers!  
A/N I borrowed the detail about pregnant witches being prone to sneeaing bouts directly from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Like witches, Bajoran women are also prone to sneezing bouts when pregnant.  
A/N New blog entry: Limited Perspective. As usual my blog can be accessed from a link in my profile.  
A/N Next chapter: Lucius and Narcissa Discuss Draco's Future


	33. Draco's Parents Discuss His Future

"So, how did Hermione's appointment go with Calandra Jones?" Narcissa asked Lucius at lunch a couple of days later. He'd arrived back at Malfoy Manor a short time before to spend a few days with her.

"It went fine -- Hermione's in excellent health," he told her. "And we're having a girl."

Narcissa looked away for a moment, thinking wistfully of how long she and Lucius had tried unsuccessfully for a girl after Draco had been born, having wanted him to have a little sister to grow up with. Finally, she turned back to Lucius with a brave smile and said, "That's wonderful! Have you and she picked out a name yet?"

"Lucinda Jane," he said. "Hermione wanted to give her a name that would honor me. And Jane is her own middle name, which came from her mother."

"That's lovely," Narcissa said. She went silent again, thinking of the daughter she'd never have, though she was genuinely happy for Hermione and Lucius.

Lucius reached over and squeezed her hand in wordless comfort, knowing where her mind had gone.

Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. "I've been thinking about Draco's future marriage. In light of the fact that the Ministry is encouraging people to have more children to replenish the population, I thought it might be best if Draco didn't wait to find a bride."

"He had a date with Daphne Greengrass the other night," Narcissa said. "She's a nice, well-mannered girl. And she's quite an improvement over Pansy Parkinson."

"A house elf would have been an improvement over Pansy Parkinson," Lucius observed dryly. "However, I don't see Miss Greengrass as much of an improvement. She is well-mannered as you said, but she's also exceptionally stupid."

Narcissa sighed, then said. "You're right."

"And none of the other available Slytherin pureblood girls are any better," he said. "None of them will do, as I'll be damned if I have dull-witted grandchildren.

"What do you suggest then? Narcissa said. "Surely not a half-blood or a muggleborn? Or an American. I've been afraid that Draco will fall in love with an American witch with questionable bloodlines while he's over at Salem."

"Yes, that's also another consideration in getting Draco married sooner rather than later," Lucius pointed out. "I think I've found a possible candidate."

"Who?" Narcissa asked, curious.

"Luna Lovegood," Lucius said. "I know she's not a Slytherin, but she's a pureblood. And a Ravenclaw, which assures us that she's not in any way stupid."

"She seemed like a very nice girl when the Dark Lord imprisoned her here last year," Narcissa said slowly. "But those were no circumstances to really get to know what kind of a person she is." After a sip of tea, she asked, "What made you think of her?"

"I saw her at Hogwarts the other day when I went up there to deal with the Weasley problem," he said. "She actually congratulated me on my bonding with Hermione and seemed genuinely pleased about it."

"Apparently, she doesn't hold her imprisonment here against us, then," Narcissa observed.

"No, not at all," Lucius replied. "Anyway, after speaking with Luna, it dawned on me that she might likely make a suitable bride for Draco."

After a pause, he continued, "Considering that she was a year behind Hermione at Hogwarts, I asked her about what kind of a person Luna is. Hermione said that she's a bit eccentric, but that she's intelligent and insightful. She's been quite a loyal friend to Hermione, and she assures me that Luna is kind and goodhearted. It's a good bet that she would be a loyal wife to Draco and a good mother for his children." In conclusion, he added, "The fact that she's an attractive blond doesn't hurt, either -- their children would look like us."

"Well, she sounds like a possibility," Narcissa said. "How do you plan to get them together?"

"Hermione has agreed to invite Luna for lunch at the penthouse on an afternoon that we have Draco over there," Lucius told her. "It would have to be on a Saturday, so she can apparate to London with no one at the school being any the wiser." After a pause, he continued, "If they seem interested in one another and Draco is willing, we can invite her to Malfoy Manor next and see how it goes from there."

He took a bite of food, then continued, "I did a bit of research and it seems as if old Xeno Lovegood isn't doing so well since he was released from Azkaban. The Lovegood home was destroyed, so he and Luna have been living in rented rooms above the owl emporium. He's not been able to restart his paper, _The Quibbler_, and has had to take whatever odd jobs he can get to keep a roof over their heads. It seems that Luna is finishing her last year at Hogwarts only because she was granted a scholarship out of the Hardship Fund. If Draco and Luna take to one another, I'll offer to rebuild his home or buy him a new one and also to give him the funds to restore his newspaper operations. That should certain make him more likely to support the match."

"Speaking of Xeno Lovegood, did I tell you that he's been down to the orphanage, offering to help out?" Narcissa asked. "He also told me that if his finances permitted, he'd be willing to adopt a couple of the orphans."

"No you didn't mention it to me," Lucius said. "But that information could prove useful if should he need a bit more persuasion."

"When do you plan to tell Draco what you have in mind?" she asked.

"I'll tell him before we invite Luna to lunch at the penthouse," Lucius said. "I won't force him to marry her, of course, if he's adamantly opposed. But if he seems reluctant, I'll sweeten the deal by offering to let him come into his full inheritance at 21, rather than 25, if he marries her and has an heir by her by the year he turns 21. I'll also offer to buy or build them a mansion of their own in the location of their choosing, with the assurance that he will inherit Malfoy Manor upon our deaths."

"That sounds like a good plan," Narcissa said, smiling at her husband. "I think I'm about ready to have a grandchild or two, anyway."

"I also managed to get hold of some of her medical records," Lucius told her, smiling broadly. "On her last physical, she was found to be in perfect health and quite fertile."

"Draco goes back to Salem at the end of the month," Narcissa pointed out. "When do you and Hermione plan to have him and Luna to dinner?"

Lucius heaved a loud sigh. "Oh, I forgot to tell you something else," he said. "Hermione's mother decided to throw us a 'wedding' party without consulting either one of us first, as a way to introduce me to her muggle family." He rolled his eyes and continued, "Her mother is telling the rest of their family that we're married as they'd not comprehend the idea of a consortship and thought it would be easier that way. I suppose I understand why she's doing it -- apparently the relatives are pestering her about Hermione's relationship with me -- but I do wish she'd consulted us first so I could have had some control over it."

"Oh, how ghastly," Narcissa exclaimed, shuddering. "Are you actually going to go?"

"Yes, I'm doing it for her," he told her. "Hermione assured me that I'll only have to do it the one time to satisfy her relatives enough so that they'll leave her mother alone afterwards. As much as I dread going, I couldn't come up with any reasonable excuse to avoid it."

"If it serves to make her happy and keep the peace between the two of you, then I suppose it's worth it," Narcissa admitted. "But I'm very glad it's not me in that situation."

"She asks so little of me, that I didn't really even think of refusing," he said. "But getting back to your original question, I suppose we'll have Draco and Luna over the weekend after the muggle party from hell."

Narcissa laughed, then said, "All right, then. I'll tell Draco about it when he gets home, but I'll let you tell him why."

"Excellent," he said. "See what you can do to sound out Xeno Lovegood the next time you see him at the orphanage to find out how receptive he might be to the idea."

"I will." she promised. "I'm going to stop by there for a few hours this afternoon, as a matter of fact."

"I think I'll take a nap," he said, rising from the table with a yawn. "I've been keeping rather late nights lately."

"I'll see you this evening," she said. "Andromeda will be coming for dinner."

"I'll see you then," he said, kissing her on the cheek before leaving the room.

--  
A/N Thanks to my reviewers. I appreciate it.  
A/N Next Chapter Muggle Party From Hell


	34. Muggle Party From Hell

Almost two weeks later, the day of dreaded party had arrived. Both Lucius and Hermione were eager to get this obligation behind them.

As Hermione was styling her hair in the bathroom, getting ready for the party, Lucius called out to her from the dressing room. "Come look at what I'm wearing and tell me if it's right for muggle casual."

"Give me just a minute; I'm almost done here," she replied.

"All right, he said, continuing to go through his wardrobe to consider different items.

Two minutes later, Hermione came into the dressing room to find Lucius still going through his wardrobe.

"Is this OK?" he asked, gesturing to what he was already wearing. He was dressed in a navy blue blazer, light blue Oxford shirt buttoned only halfway with the shirttail out, blue jeans, and a brown pair of loafer type shoes, all looking like he'd just thrown them on. His long hair, however, was impeccably groomed, and worn loose in his usual style.

"Well, it matches all right with what I'm wearing," she began. Hermione was wearing a nice pair of designer blue jeans paired with a burgundy cashmere turtleneck sweater, with matching ruby earrings. "But let's neaten you up a bit". She took out her wand and waved it at him, which tucked in the shirt and buttoned two more buttons. "And a watch, I think." She waved her wand again, and a gold Rolex appeared on his wrist.

Standing back, she looked at him and said, "Perfect. You look good enough to eat."

The blond wizard preened under his consort's praise. "And I might let you do just that," he murmured seductively."

Giving him a brave smile, she said, "Well, I'm ready. Let's go and get this over with."

"The limousine should be waiting for us right outside the muggle entrance to the Leaky Cauldron," Lucius told her.

They'd decided several days ago not to simply apparate to the Granger home, as it was possible that some people might ask where their car was if they'd arrived that way. Using a taxicab was out as well, as it would generate more questions than it would answer, given how wealthy Lucius was. Lucius has never learned how to drive a muggle car, nor had Hermione, so renting or buying their own car was not an option. Lucius decided on a limousine once Hermione had told him of their existence, as this would befit his status as a rich man.

After they'd seated themselves inside the luxurious limousine a few minutes later, Lucius looked around in approval. He opened the fully stocked bar cabinet to find all his favorite drinks available.

"I think I may have to buy a limo of my own," he said. "It's quite nice." Looking up at the driver, he added, "And it would give Stan Shunpike a permanent job."

He'd hired the erstwhile Knight Bus conductor, who fortunately knew how to drive, at Hermione's suggestion. She'd recently read an article about how the Ministry had declined to reinstate him into his old job, even though it had been proven he'd been working with the Death Eaters unwillingly under the Imperius spell.

As he watched the gawky young man expertly pilot the large limousine with ease through the crowded London streets, Lucius made a mental note to owl Norbert Terwilliger and have him include a short piece in the _Daily Prophet_ about how he gave the struggling young man a job and a new chance in life. After all, reputations were rebuilt piece by piece, not all at once.

He and Hermione enjoyed the ride, with Hermione pointing out interesting sights to him he'd not seen before, as he normally apparated or flooed everywhere he needed to go. Lucius enjoyed a glass of cognac to help put him in a better frame of mind for what was to come. All too soon, however, the limousine pulled up at the Granger home, which had several cars on the pavement and along the street nearby.

Lucius looked around at all the cars with dismay. "It seems as if this is something more than just a 'just a couple of people'," he noted.

"You're right," Hermione conceded. "I imagine some relatives just ended up inviting themselves and my mother has a hard time saying no to people."

As they stepped out of the car, Lucius went to the driver's door to give Stan Shunpike a charmed coin, "Put this in your pocket, and when you feel it vibrate, come back and pick us up," Lucius told him. Handing the young man some money, "Go get yourself something to eat while you're waiting."

"Yes, sir, guv'nor," Stan said, before driving off.

As Lucius turned to Hermione, he took a good look at the home she'd grown up in. Though a far cry from Malfoy Manor, it was much more than he'd expected; a good-sized upper middle class muggle home in a well-maintained neighborhood of similar homes. And it was far and away a vast improvement over the squalid little home in Spinner's End that Severus Snape had spent his childhood in.

"Shall we go in?" Hermione asked. As the couple walked up the steps to the front door, she reminded him, "None of my relatives other than my parents know that I'm a witch, so we'll need to remember not to mention anything about the wizarding world unless we're alone with them."

When they reached the door, it flew open to reveal Hermione's mother. "Hermione! Lucius! Welcome!," Jane Granger said. "Come right in."

As they stepped into the house, the lounge was directly to the right. And it was filled with muggles of all ages and descriptions, Lucius noted, just barely repressing an instinctive shudder.

"I need to check on dinner," Mrs Granger said, bustling toward the kitchen. "It shouldn't be but a few more minutes."

Taking his hand, Hermione murmured, "Let me introduce you to a few people and get that out of the way."

All eyes were on Hermione and Lucius as they entered the room. "Come on, Hermione," said a voice from the corner. "Let's get a look at your new husband."

Lucius turned to see a matronly woman about his mother's age, who apparently had similar tastes in fashion as did Delores Umbridge. Fortunately for this woman, however, she did not also resemble a frog. This woman had the same confident bearing and cinnamon eyes as Hermione.

"Grams!" Hermione said, with a smile. "It's so good to see you!" Turning to Lucius, she said proudly, "This is my husband, Lucius Malfoy. Lucius, this is my grandmother, Rose Hutchinson."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Madam," Lucius murmured, giving the elderly woman a tight smile.

Looking up at the elegant blond wizard with intent scrutiny, she observed. "You need a haircut. A man your age should know better than to go around with hair as long as a hippie."

"Grams!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified that her grandmother had chosen this particular moment to display her blunt nature.

Lucius, however, was amused. Even though he thought her opinion was absolute rubbish -- his hair was his pride and joy and he'd never think of cutting it -- he had to respect her for being direct. He'd always know where he stood with such a woman and that was fine with him.

"That's all right, Hermione," he murmured. "Your grandmother is certainly entitled to her opinion." Turning to the old woman, "I hope you'll forgive me for not following your advice."

"I didn't expect that you would," the old woman said tartly. "But no harm done." Extending her hand, she said, "As long as you treat Hermione with the respect she deserves, I can handle your long hair."

"Hermione will soon be the mother of my child," he informed her. "I wouldn't dream of treating her any other way."

"Well, that explains the hasty wedding and why none of us were invited," Rose said knowingly. "Ah well, you weren't the first and you certainly won't be the last couple married under such circumstances."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed, glad not to have to explain the intricacies of the consort relationship to her."

Before the elderly woman could ask him anything else, Hermione's mother appeared in the doorway. "Dinner's ready," she said.

Lucius was shocked to see Jane Granger bringing the food to the table herself, assisted by a couple of other women, whom he assumed were other relatives. Surely, a successful professional couple like the Grangers should have a servant or two, he thought to himself.

A few moments later, all the adults were seated around the long dining room table. Lucius sat on one end, with Hermione to his right. A man who greatly resembled Hermione's father but was somewhat older, sat to his left.

"I'm George Granger," the man said, extending his hand to Lucius. "I'm Hermione's uncle."

"Lucius Malfoy," Lucius replied, reluctantly shaking the man's hand.

"So, Lucius, what do you do?" George asked, in an ingratiating tone. "I'm in real estate. Now, if you and Hermione are in the market for a home, I can get you a great deal..."

Lucius regarded the man as a scientist might regard a bug under a microscope. First, the man had the effrontery to suggest that he had to engage in common labor like a...well, muggle...to support himself and Hermione. And then the man had such appalling manners that he had addressed him by his first name without being invited to do so.

"What...do...I..._do_?" he repeated back to the man, his lip curled in scorn. "Why, whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it, Mr Granger," his voice taking on a more smug tone. "And I own several homes both here and abroad, so I certainly will not be needing someone to procure more real estate for me."

Hermione squeezed his hand under the table, then gave him a glance, warning him not to engage her uncle in a battle of wits. Lucius nodded back at her, letting her know he got the message. She was right, having a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent wouldn't have been much fun, in any case.

Sighing, he turned back to the man and said, "When I came of age, I inherited a sizable family fortune, and now I manage my investments so there will be plenty to pass down to my children when the time comes."

Before George could respond, another male relative sitting on the other side of Hermione asked him, "So, what do you think about Manchester United's chances for the upcoming season?"

Lucius gave the man a puzzled look, having absolutely no clue what he was talking about.

At that moment, there was a loud ringing sound, saving him from responding to the second man. He turned his head sharply in the direction of the sound, wondering what was causing it. He watched Hermione's father rise from the table and walk toward the source of the sound. The noise stopped abruptly when Kenneth picked up a rectangular object, pushed a button and spoke into it. Sudden comprehension dawned on his face -- this must be one of those telephones Hermione told him about that muggles used in place of owls.

Hermione's mother noticed the baffled expression on Lucius' face and immediately understood that he was out of his element. From what Hermione had told her about the wizarding world, things that most people took for granted in the non-magical world would be utterly unknown to witches and wizards who'd spent their entire lives cocooned in the wizarding world.

"Did everyone know that Lucius and Hermione will be expecting their first baby in the fall?" Jane said, stepping in to help her _de facto_ son in law.

There were murmurs of congratulations all around, after which the conversation turned to babies and being parents, which served to deflect further awkward questions being directed to Lucius for the rest of the meal. He was able to sit back and relax a bit, as most questions regarding their impending parenthood were directed to Hermione.

At the end of the meal, Jane stood to start clearing away the dishes, while others got up to head back to the lounge.

"Can I help you, Mum," Hermione asked.

"No, dear," Jane replied. "It's your party, so stay with Lucius and have fun."

Hermione was relieved, as she thought it best to stick close to Lucius to help him avoid making verbal blunders that could invite unwanted questions from her relatives.

At that moment, Kenneth Granger appeared at their side. "Would you like to have a drink, Lucius?" he asked, giving the wizard a knowing look.

"Yes, thank you," Lucius said. "I certainly could use one."

Lucius and Hermione followed Kenneth into the library. While a far cry from the luxurious libraries in Lucius' various homes, it still was a comfortable, welcoming room, filled with books on all four walls. Kenneth indicated a overstuffed sofa to the couple as he turned to pour them each a drink.

"What'll you have, Lucius," Kenneth asked. "Hermione?"

"Brandy, if you have it," Lucius said. Hermione had told him that firewhiskey did not exist in the muggle world, but Lucius liked brandy just as well and that did exist in the muggle world.

"Orange juice," Hermione said. "Now that I'm pregnant, I can't be drinking alcohol."

After the three had settled down with their drinks, Kenneth said, "I appreciate you coming, Lucius," he said. "It meant a lot to us. I know it had to be awkward for you."

"Indeed," Lucius replied briefly. "I had no clue what some people were talking about." After a pause, he asked, "What in bloody hell is Manchester United, anyway?"

"It's only the finest football team in the world," Kenneth said proudly. "I'm surprised that they're not known in the wizarding world."

"It's one of the muggle sports," Hermione said helpfully. "Muggles love football and follow it just as avidly as we do Quidditch."

"I suppose that is one thing the muggle and wizarding worlds have in common," Lucius admitted grudgingly. "Love of sport." Finishing his drink, he added, "But I think we'll call it a night. Now that Hermione is pregnant, she needs to get more rest and not overtax herself."

"Of course," Kenneth said.

Pulling out the charmed coin from his pocket, Lucius rubbed the edge completely around three times to signal Stan Shunpike that he was ready to go. When the coin vibrated back against his fingers less than a minute later, he knew that the young man had gotten the message and was on the way. "My driver is on the way," Lucius told Kenneth

Twenty minutes later, Lucius and Hermione left the Granger home, after saying their goodbyes, glad to have this behind them at last.

--  
A/N I appreciate all the reviewers who have been with me from the beginning and also the new ones I've picked up along the way!  
A/N New blog entry: Lucius in Muggle Clothes. My blog can be accessed from my profile.  
A/N Next Chapter: Matchmaking


	35. Matchmaking

Two days later, Lucius looked up expectantly from his morning tea as Draco entered the breakfast room at Malfoy Manor.

"You sent for me, sir?" Draco asked, looking apprehensive. "Snappy told me you wanted to see me."

"Sit down, Draco," Lucius said smoothly, indicating the chair across from him.

"Is there anything wrong?" Draco couldn't help but ask.

"No, not at all," Lucius told his son, smiling. "I thought it was time to have a talk about your future."

"My future?" the young wizard repeated.

"More specifically, I thought it was time you put some effort into finding a suitable wife," he elaborated. "Normally, I would have given you a few more years before bringing up this subject with you, but now that the Ministry has put repopulation efforts near the top of their agenda, I think it would be a good idea if you got on with the process now." Lucius took a sip of tea, then continued, "I noticed you had a date the other night. How did that go?"

"It went all right," Draco said slowly. "But Daphne is just a friend. I only asked her out so that I could double date with Greg and Millicent. I think Greg is serious about her."

Lucius tried not let his relief show openly in front of Draco. Instead he asked, "Are there any pureblood girls you might be interested in? They don't have to be Slytherins, by the way."

"To be honest, I'd not given it too much thought," Draco admitted. "I'd always assumed I would marry Pansy, but after you and Mother nixed that idea, I've not thought much more about it, figuring I'd meet someone eventually when the time was right."

"Perhaps you might be open to suggestion, then," Lucius said. "I believe I've found you a suitable candidate and after discussion with your mother, she concurs with my choice."

Noting Draco's dismayed expression, Lucius assured him, "You, of course, have final veto power, but I am prepared to give you your full inheritance at 21, rather than at 25, if you've married and produced an heir by that time. I'm also prepared to buy you a suitable estate and you would also inherit Malfoy Manor when the time comes."

"Who is it?" Draco said, almost afraid to ask.

"Luna Lovegood," Lucius said briefly, waiting for Draco's reaction.

"Loony Lovegood!" Draco exclaimed, but then went quiet, giving the matter a bit of thought.

"I know she's a bit eccentric," Lucius conceded. "But I did a bit of checking into her background, and she's really rather intelligent, which isn't surprising considering that she's a Ravenclaw."

"Yes, I had some rather interesting conversations with her last year when Voldemort held her prisoner here," Draco said slowly. "I went to talk to her many times when I was scared of what Voldemort might do to us." After a long pause, he said, "She was always able to make me feel better and helped give me the resolve to carry on."

Lucius smiled at this. "See?" he said. "I knew I was on the right track. That's one of the most important qualities a spouse should have. When you know you have your wife behind you, no matter what, you can almost always gather the fortitude needed to prevail, no matter how bad things can get at times."

Looking intently at his son, he said, "Romantic love, while a wonderful feeling, is highly overrated when picking a marriage partner. You want to look for things that will last over a lifetime; sometime with whom you are compatible and can get along with. Your mother and I had an arranged marriage and we were certainly not in love when we got married. Rather, love grew over repeated shared experiences and especially after you were born."

Draco did not speak, but carefully considered what his father was telling him.

"She's also remained a loyal friend to Hermione throughout the brouhaha with the Weasleys and their ilk," Lucius continued. "A loyal friend is also likely to be a loyal wife. She is also likely to decide things for herself, rather than being swayed by public opinion." Giving his son a knowing look, he concluded, "And she's quite an attractive young woman, if I say so myself. I'm sure she'd be quite pleasurable to bed on a regular basis. I'm also guessing that you and she would make exceptionally attractive children."

Draco couldn't argue with that; she certainly wasn't hard on the eyes. "All right, Father," he said. "I'm willing to give her a chance. What do you think the best way would be to approach her?"

"I've already taken care of that," Lucius said smoothly. "I've asked Hermione to invite her to the penthouse for lunch this Saturday. They've become rather friendly as of late, and it's a perfectly natural thing for her to invite a friend over to eat. This will give the two of you a chance to talk under more normal circumstances and get better acquainted in a non-threatening atmosphere."

"I take it that Luna doesn't know what's going on?" Draco asked.

"No, there's no need to tell her until you see if you're compatible with her first," Lucius replied. "If you get along well at the penthouse, your mother will invite her to Malfoy Manor for dinner after you and she have had a chance to go out a few times. Eventually, we'd bring her father into it, and I have several financial incentives to offer to him, should he prove reluctant to approve the match."

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out," Draco said, still a bit hesitant about the idea.

"Also remember that once you and she would have produced an heir and preferably at least one spare, you and she would both be free to take on muggleborn or half-blood consorts," Lucius reminded him. "Having that option would allow you more options, as you'd not be putting all your eggs in one basket, so to speak."

"Well, I'll see how it goes," Draco said.

--

The following Saturday morning, Hermione awakened about mid-morning, snuggled up in bed with Lucius. He'd come home the night before and they'd been up until well past midnight making love. She noticed that Lucius always returned to her especially horny, which made her wonder just how often he and Narcissa had sex.

As her eyes fluttered open, she looked over at Lucius, who was still sleeping peacefully on his back. His long blond hair was spread out on the pillow, his features composed and peaceful. She smiled down at him, looking as innocent in sleep as a baby, her heart filling with love for the father of her child.

Hermione had intended to let him sleep while she got up to shower, but got into a sneezing fit which immediately awakened him. She had to sit up and turn away from Lucius until the spell had passed.

"I'm sorry I woke you," Hermione said as she turned back toward him.

"Quite all right," he said easily. "Remember that I've already gone through a pregnancy before with Narcissa. She was quite the sneezer during her pregnancy as well, as I remember." Sitting up on the side of the bed, he said, "And we'd better get moving as Draco and Luna will be here soon."

"It's a good thing I told Breezy what to cook last night," Hermione said after she and Lucius had jumped into the shower together. "Otherwise, we'd be behind schedule."

Twenty minutes later, Draco arrived as Lucius and Hermione were enjoying thier morning tea as they each read their own copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

As his son entered the room, Lucius smiled at him. "Right on time, I see. Have a seat and Breezy will bring you a cup of tea."

"Hello, Draco," Hermione said with a smile, setting the paper down as the young wizard sat down across from her. "I hope you're doing well."

"Fine, thanks," he replied.

"I hear that Lucius played Quidditch with you and some of your friends the other week," she remarked. "I'd have given anything to have seen that."

Draco chuckled briefly. "Actually, you'd have been impressed. I don't know if Father ever told you, but he was offered a contract to play professionally with the Chudley Cannons right after he graduated from Hogwarts."

"No, he never told me!" Hermione said, turning to look at Lucius. "That's wonderful!"

"Well, I saw no need mentioning something that never came to fruition," Lucius said as an oddly wistful expression came over his face.

"Why didn't you join the team?" Hermione asked.

Looking distinctly uncomfortable, Lucius replied, "My father and...Voldemort...decided that I had better things to be doing than playing Quidditch."

"I'm sorry, Lucius," Hermione said miserably, squeezing his hand under the table.

"What's done is done," Lucius replied with a sigh. "There's no point in dwelling on what can't be changed."

After they'd finished brunch Lucius and Draco went into the library, while Hermione headed to the kitchen to see how Breezy was coming along with lunch preparations.

Almost as soon as Hermione reached the kitchen, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it, Breezy," Hermoine said. "You stay here and finish up."

Luna was standing on the front landing as Hermione opened the door a couple of moments later.

Opening the door wider, Hermione said, " Come on in, Luna. Lunch is almost ready."

After the other witch complied and they were walking down the hall, Hermione asked, "Did you have any trouble finding us?"

"Not at all," Luna told her. "I just apparated in the alley outside the Leaky Cauldron, and it was easy to find the panel in the broom closet. Actually, I had more of a problem finding a place in Hogsmeade where I could apparate here without anyone noticing me. I finally had to say I was going off to look for a Crumple-horned Snorkack before I could shake the girls who were with me."

Looking around as she followed Hermione, she remarked, 'You have a lovely home and in a great place; so near to where my Dad and I are living now."

"I really like it," Hermione said. "I especially like being able to visit the bookstore without having to apparate or floo."

At that moment, they reached the library, where they found Lucius and Draco having a quiet conversation.

Luna's face lit up into a sunny smile at the sight of Draco. "It's so good to see you, Draco," she said quietly. "I've been wondering how you've been since the last time we saw one another."

"Well, I suppose Hermione told you that I've been studying at the Salem Institute in the States," Draco told her. "I've been taking an intensive advanced potions course."

"I'd love to visit America sometime," she said. "Do you like it there?"

"Pretty much so, yes," he said. "But it took quite a bit of getting used to. Most wizards and witches live amongst muggles over there and you have to be more careful about when and where you use your magic." After a pause, he asked, "So, what do you plan to do when you graduate from Hogwarts?"

"Mr Ollivander offered me an apprenticeship as a wandmaker," she said. "I'm considering it but haven't yet decided whether to accept."

"That's pretty much of a honor, I'd say," Draco observed. "As far as I know he's been running that shop by himself since my grandfather went to Hogwarts."

Hermione stood up and said, "Lucius, could you help me for a minute in the kitchen?" Looking at Luna and Draco, she said, "Excuse us for a few minutes. We'll be right back."

Understanding her meaning, he got up and followed her without a word. Once they reached the kitchen, she turned to Lucius and said, "They seemed to be getting along well. I thought we'd leave them alone for a few minutes to talk privately."

"I hope you're right," Lucius said. "It does seem promising, however."

After the four of them were seated around the table a short time later, Lucius could see that Draco was actually enjoying himself as he continued to talk with Luna. Hermione likewise thought that Luna seemed to be having a good time. Lucius and Hermione both said little, allowing the two young people to make the most of the time to get to know one another.

"I've had a wonderful time, but I must get back to Hogsmeade, as it's nearly time for everyone to go back to Hogwarts," Luna said with real regret at the end of the meal."

"We've enjoyed having you," Hermione said warmly. "We'll have to do it again soon."

"Let me apparate back with you, and I can walk you back to Hogwarts," Draco said. "We can finish our conversation then."

"I'd like that," Luna said, her face lighting up."

"I'll owl you later," Draco told his father, as he stood to follow Luna to the door.

"Take your time," Lucius said.

After Draco and Luna left, Lucius said, "That turned out better than I expected."

"I hope it works out for them," Hermione said. Yawning, she said, "I'm tired. I think I'll take a nap."

"What a wonderful idea," he said. "I think I'll join you."

"I won't get any sleep that way," Hermione said, laughing.

"At first you won't," Lucius agreed with a wicked grin. "But eventually you will."

--  
A/N Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story thus far.  
A/N Next Chapter: Lunch With Narcissa


	36. Lunch With Narcissa

Hermione spent most of the next two weeks concentrating on her studies in preparation for her N.E.W.T.s. The examinations would be in late April, and she didn't want to leave anything to chance. And once the baby came, her opportunities for uninterrupted study would be limited for a time, so she intended to make the best use of the time she had available now.

Draco and Luna had hit it off after they'd come to the penthouse for lunch and had seen each other several times before he returned to Salem. Plans had been made to continue their relationship once he returned to England and, in the meantime, would stay in contact through letters.

"I got an owl from Luna yesterday and it was all about Draco," Hermione told Lucius one day as they were eating breakfast. "She's crazy about him."

"Draco seems quite taken with her as well, if his letters to me are any indication," Lucius said. "It seems as if I have a talent for matchmaking."

"Apparently so," Hermione agreed, smiling happily at him.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there's a wedding by the end of the year," Lucius predicted.

Before Hermione could respond, Breezy appeared at her side with an owl message. "Thank you, Breezy," she said as she opened the message to read.

After she finished reading the note, she turned to Lucius and said, somewhat nervously, "It's from Narcissa. She wants me to come to Malfoy Manor for lunch."

"Yes, she told me the other day that she'd be inviting you over at some point," he said. "I think she's going to ask you to donate some time at the orphanage. She and Andromeda have been going around looking for volunteers."

"I'd be happy to help out," Hermione said. "It will be good practice for when our baby comes."

"Yes, it might prove useful," Lucius agreed. "But I don't think you should volunteer for any more than one day a week. While you're pregnant, I don't want you to overtax yourself."

"All right," Hermione agreed. "I'd not planned on more than that, anyway, as I've got my N.E.W.T.s coming up, anyway."

"I'll be flooing over with you," Lucius said. "I'll leave you and Narcissa to lunch together privately, but I need to pick up some papers at Malfoy Manor. I have an appointment at Gringotts this afternoon to review my investments and I'll just have something at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch."

"I don't mind if you eat with us," Hermione said.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Lucius replied. "But I suspect that much of the conversation will be "girl talk", and that's best done without any men around."

She laughed merrily at this. "Are you afraid we'll both gang up on you?"

"Something like that," he agreed.

Four hours later, Lucius and Hermione stepped out of the library fireplace at Malfoy Manor, where Narcissa sat waiting for them.

"Welcome, Hermione," Narcissa said. "I'm so glad you were able to come."

"Thank you for inviting me," Hermione said, with a small smile.

After giving Narcissa a kiss, Lucius told her, "I've got an appointment at Gringotts today to go over my current investments. I need to get some papers, then I'll be off to leave you ladies to have your lunch in peace." Without waiting for a response, he disappeared through a door that led to his private office.

He reappeared a moment later with a folder of papers in his hand. "I'll see you both later," he said, smiling, first giving Narcissa a kiss and then Hermione, before stepping back into the floo.

"Gringotts!" he called out as he threw the powder just before disappearing in cloud of green smoke.

"Lucius tells me that you're having a girl," Narcissa said to Hermione a few minutes later as they were seated at the dinner table.

"Yes," Hermione said. "We're both delighted."

"I have to warn you that Lucius will try to spoil her shamelessly," Narcissa told her. After a pause, she sighed, then added, "He's been waiting so long to have a daughter."

Hermione understood Narcissa's unspoken reference to her inability to have more children, but didn't quite know what to say.

"He also told me that you plan to name her Lucinda after him," Narcissa said quickly, saving Hermione from having to respond to her previous comment. "I think that's lovely. And I have to say that Lucius was inordinately pleased with himself that you saw fit to honor him this way."

"Yes, he was," Hermione said with a small laugh. "But I'm glad it means a lot to him. I get a lot of pleasure when I know I've made him happy."

Narcissa realized then that Hermione was in love with Lucius. Oh, she'd suspected it when she'd seen the young woman's eyes light up every time she looked at him or spoke his name, but this just confirmed what she'd been thinking. And while Narcissa was quite certain that her marriage with Lucius was secure and that he loved her, she belatedly realized that he loved Hermione, too, though he didn't seem to be at the point where he'd admit to anyone, least of all himself. That would come, however, and would probably occur when their baby was born, she suspected.

The older woman reminded herself of something her mother had once told her when she'd first realized that Lucius was not a strictly one-woman man: Love multiplies, it doesn't divide; that the way to make it grow is to share it, not jealously hoard it.

Returning her attention to Hermione, Narcissa told her, "It would have been nice to name Draco after Lucius, but I'm sure you've noticed that this isn't usually done in the wizarding community, especially among purebloods."

"I hadn't really thought about it before," Hermione said. "But now that I think about it, you're right. All those Weasley boys, and not a one of them named Arthur." Taking a sip of tea, she continued, "It is rather common among muggles to name the first boy after his father, however, though it is by no means a universal practice. Girls, on the other hand, are almost never named after their mothers."

"Lucius also told me that you and he got a surprise visit from his harpy of a mother," Narcissa said, moving along. She shuddered at just the thought of her unbalanced mother-in-law.

"Oh, she was awful," Hermione agreed. "I hope she doesn't turn up again."

"I've been married to Lucius for 20 years and I've been fortunate to see her less than a dozen times during our entire marriage," Narcissa told her. "And she was perfectly dreadful each time. She's never cared about being a grandmother and, frankly, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if we never saw her again."

"Really," Hermione agreed. "But my mother is more than ready and able to be a grandmother, so Lucinda will not lack for that. And my father is thrilled about becoming a grandfather. And they like Lucius."

Narcissa's face betrayed no indication of how she'd been raised to view muggles. And after seeing how intelligent and well-bred of a young woman Hermione was, Narcissa was willing to entertain the idea that some muggles were better than others.

Smiling at the younger woman, she said, "There is that. Lucius did tell me that they've been accepting of your bond, even though such a thing is not done in the muggle world."

"They only want what's best for me," Hermione said. "And they can see that Lucius has only my best interests at heart."

"I'm glad they have more sense than Molly Weasley," Narcissa observed dryly.

"That's the truth," Hermione agreed.

"Now, then," Narcissa said, changing the subject. "I'm sure Lucius has told you all about the orphanage that Andromeda and I have started."

"Yes," Hermione replied. "Lucius said that you would like if I could help out there."

"That's correct," Narcissa told her. "Andromeda and I have spent the week looking for capable volunteers." Giving the younger woman a smile, she said, "And I thought it would be a good way for us to get to know one another better. It should also be a useful experience for when you become a mother in a few short months."

"That's what I told Lucius," Hermione said. "I'll be delighted to lend a hand."

"Wonderful," Narcissa said, smiling. "Would you like to visit the orphanage this afternoon."

"That would be very nice," Hermione said.

--  
A/N Thanks again to all my wonderful readers! I appreciate you.  
A/N Blog post: Photo of Narcissa From Half Blood Prince  
A/N Next Chapter, Narcissa Defends Hermione


	37. Narcissa Defends Hermione

A short time later, the two witches had apparated to the front porch of a large house located on the outskirts of Hogsmeade on the opposite side from Hogwarts. Several children of various ages were out in the fenced yard playing as they appeared.

A little girl about four years old broke away from a group of children and ran toward the porch as soon as she saw the two women appear.

"Miss Cissy!" the little girl cried, running to hug the blond witch's legs. "I missed you!"

Bending down to give the little girl a hug, Narcissa said warmly, "And I missed you, too, Sally!"

Satisfied with Narcissa's reassurance that she'd been missed, the little girl ran off again to rejoin her friends who were watching some older boys flying about three feet off the ground on toy brooms.

Hermione was gladdened to see the obvious affection the little girl had for the imperious looking witch. It put her at ease, as it made her consort's wife somehow more approachable, more human, somehow. It hadn't ever occurred to Hermione before this instant that Narcissa was every bit the warm and devoted mother that Molly Weasley was. Hermione was immediately ashamed of herself for judging Narcissa mainly by surface appearances.

"What happened to her parents?" Hermione asked, curious.

"Her father was a ministry official caught helping muggleborns escape to Ireland," Narcissa explained. "His death was relatively merciful -- a quick _Avada Kedavra_ and it was all over for him. Her mother was quite so lucky, unfortunately. After Dolohov killed her father, he raped her mother, then let Fenrir Greyback have her. Sally was lucky enough to be away visiting a neighbor child when it happened."

"Oh, the poor thing," Hermione said, tears coming to her eyes.

As they entered the house a moment later, Narcissa said, "Let me check in at my office, then I'll give you the grand tour."

A moment later, they entered the older witch's office where she proceeded to sort through a pile of owl messages. Hermione filled the time waiting by looking at photos of the children living here, which were on a bulletin board along the back wall.

"Are these all the children?" Hermione asked, indicating the photos.

"Yes," Narcissa replied. "We originally had 25, but we're down to 18 now. Four kids from one family were placed with magical relatives in Ireland, one was adopted by a older couple who'd lost their only son in the war, and two siblings went to a couple who'd never been able to have children of their own."

"It seems as if you're doing well, then," Hermione observed.

"We're quite pleased with the progress," Narcissa agreed. "And nothing would please me more than to see every child placed."

"Just out of curiosity, how many of the children are muggleborn?" the younger witch asked.

"Let's see," Narcissa began, referring to a list sitting on her desk. "The four who went to Ireland were pureblood, the one who went to the older couple was muggleborn, and the two siblings who went to the childless couple were halfbloods. Among those still here twelve are muggleborn, four are purebloods, and two are halfbloods. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if there were any plans to release any of the muggleborn children into the care of muggle relatives or to allow them to be adopted in unrelated muggle families," she explained.

"No," Narcissa said flatly. "The Ministry's policy -- which I fully agree with -- is that all magical children, regardless of blood status, will be placed with wizarding families. The abuse Harry Potter suffered at the hands of his aunt's family is unfortunately not an uncommon one with magical children raised in adoptive muggle families, and Kingsley Shacklebolt is determined not to let anything like that happen again, if he has the power to prevent it."

"I'm glad you said that," Hermione said, obviously relieved. "It was precisely Harry's situation I was thinking of when I asked you that question."

"Shall we take that tour now?" Narcissa asked, changing the subject.

Hermione nodded assent and followed her out of the office. The first stop was a large room that had been converted into a classroom.

"This is the classroom for children too young for Hogwarts," Narcissa explained. "We've all been taking turns at teaching, but we hope to hire a permanent teacher soon. As you can see, we've done pretty well so far stocking in school books and other needed school equipment. Lucius donated most of the money that went into equipping this room, by the way."

Hermione inspected the room, making approving sounds as she surveyed every detail.

"Next, are the dorms," Narcissa said, leading her into a corridor from the back door of the school room. Boys' rooms are in the west wing and girls' in the right" They met a witch in early middle age as they headed toward the girls' dorm.

"This is Mary Cattermole," Narcissa told Hermione. "We've hired her and her husband, Reg, as houseparents. Reg also takes care of all maintenance concerns."

"Pleased to meet you," Mary said to Hermione, before hurrying off to attend to one child's skinned knee.

The two women stepped into one comfortably furnished bedroom for two girls. A window overlooked a large yard with a small Quidditch pitch in back, with Hogsmeade visible in the distance.

"Next, let me show you the kitchen," Narcissa said. "We've been assigned four house elves from Hogwarts to take care of the cooking and cleaning."

As they reached the door to the kitchen, Hermione nearly ran headlong into Molly Weasley, who was accompanied by Andromeda Tonks. Much as Ginny had done in the Great Hall, the older witch narrowed her eyes at Hermione and sneered, "I'm surprised to see _you_ here, of all people. I figured you'd be off spending Lucius Malfoy's money and wouldn't care about doing anything that would actually help others. Or has he already gotten tired of you now that you're pregnant?" Turning to Narcissa, she observed, "And I'm surprised at you, Narcissa Malfoy, for allowing this to happen. But then again, your husband has never been known for being a particularly faithful husband."

"At least other women find _my_ husband attractive," Narcissa sniffed, looking down her nose at the older witch with a haughty expression. "Your husband is faithful because no other woman would want him. And he can't support the family he has -- I can't imagine him being able to support a consort, even if he could find a blind woman who would have him."

Molly had a 'Well! I never!' expression on her face, but before she could reply, Narcissa cut her off. "Now you listen here, you meddling old harpy. I'll not hear you say a word against Lucius or Hermione. For once in your miserable life, mind your own business and keep your small mind out of what doesn't concern you."

Not yet finished with the red headed woman, she continued, "We're all here to help orphaned children -- an endeavour made possible by my husband's money, I might add! -- and if you can't give your disapproval of Hermione's relationship with Lucius a rest for once, you can take your Gryffindor self-righteousness and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine!"

Andromeda, trying to smooth things over, said, "I'm sorry, Cissy. I didn't know you were bringing Hermione by this afternoon. I asked Molly here today because I thought her experience as a mother would be useful to the orphanage."

"It's not your fault, 'Dromeda," Narcissa said, regarding her sister with an apologetic expression. "If Mrs Weasley is serious about helping out here, we'll just have to make sure to schedule her and Hermione for different days, as the children don't need to be exposed to this childish nonsense."

Turning to Hermione, she said, "Let's go, Hermione. Lucius is going to take us both out for dinner tonight and we certainly don't want to keep _our_ man waiting."

Looking at the older woman gratefully, she said, "No, we most certainly do not."

With that, both women turned as one, their robes billowing behind them as they strode from the room.

--  
A/N Four hundred reviews! Keep them coming!  
A/N New blog post, A Song Filk. My blog can be accessed through a link on my profile  
A/N Next Chapter: "Meanwhile, Back at the Burrow"


	38. Meanwhile, Back At The Burrow

Nearly two months later, Ginny and Harry sat at the kitchen table at the Burrow addressing wedding invitations.

The Weasleys had moved back into the Burrow a month before, but Harry still found seeing everything shiny and new there to be a bit incongruous. Ginny had been coming home nearly every weekend, as she and Harry made plans for their upcoming wedding and parenthood. They'd originally planned to have the wedding in late August, but now that she was pregnant, it had been moved up to May, to take place a week after graduation.

As the young couple worked on the invitations, Molly Weasley sat on the other side of the table addressing the shower invitations. After they'd been working for nearly on hour, Ginny noticed that Harry had a pensive expression on his face and belatedly realized that he'd said very little during that hour.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked. "I know you've got something on your mind."

The young man took a deep breath, then said in a soft, but firm voice, "I just don't feel right not having Hermione at the wedding. She's the closest thing I have to a sister. I really think we ought to invite her."

"Well, she made the choice to step away from us by getting involved with Lucius Malfoy and then hiding it from us," Molly pointed out uncharitably. "I don't know if I can ever forgive her."

Ginny sat and considered Harry's words before responding. She had no desire to renew her friendship with Hermione, as she'd never be able to get past the fact that her former friend had made a life with the man who'd almost gotten her killed, either through intention or negligence. However, she loved Harry and didn't like seeing him unhappy.

"If it's that important to you, I suppose I can invite her," Ginny said reluctantly. "But I'm not inviting Lucius Malfoy. She'll have to come alone."

"Hermione won't come if we purposely exclude Malfoy," Harry pointed out, weary of the entire argument. "You know how proud she is." After a deep breath, he continued, "And in the muggle world, it's considered extremely bad form to invite someone to a wedding and not invite their spouse or romantic partner."

"All right, then," Ginny said, her voice taking on a distinctly snippy tone. "I'll invite her and put 'and guest' on the invitation. Will that do?"

"I know you don't like Malfoy," Harry said softly. "I don't either. And though I can't understand what Hermione sees in him, I've never known her to do anything without a good reason. I know that whatever her reason was for getting together with Malfoy, it wasn't to hurt any of us."

"We'll not invite her to the shower," Molly said in a voice that would allow no argument, to which Ginny nodded agreement. "The wedding is for the both of you, so I suppose I can understand you wanting someone there just for you. But the shower will be for Ginny and it will be all women, and I'll not have Hermione Granger, or whatever she's calling herself these days, there to ruin the day for Ginny."

"All right," Harry said slowly. "I guess I can live with that."

"Maybe if we're lucky, she'll leave Lucius at home," Molly said, with a short, barking laugh. "But I can't imagine she'd do that. Inviting Hermione really goes against my better judgment. There's always trouble when he and Arthur are in the same place together."

"Nearly everyone in wizarding Britain will be there," Harry pointed out. "I even invited the Dursleys, with no objections, even though they'll not likely show up. So I think we can deal with Lucius Malfoy for one day. I'm sure George, Percy, Charlie, and Bill can keep the two of them separated."

As they all returned their attention to their work, Harry thought to himself that he wasn't going to let his friendship with Hermione die, either by design or neglect. He didn't have to like everything she did in order to be her friend, and Harry wasn't about to forget the friendship she'd shown him over the years. He'd lost Ron; he'd be damned if he'd lose Hermione, too.

Harry didn't figure he'd ever be able to change Molly Weasley's mind, as she'd proven to be stubborn and set in her ways in the years he'd known her. He hoped, however, that Ginny would eventually come around, especially after they'd moved to Grimmauld Place after the wedding and especially when the baby came.

With both Hermione and Ginny due to give birth around the same time, their children would be going to Hogwarts together. As one who'd spent the first eleven years of his life friendless, Harry knew the true value of friendship, and couldn't so cavalierly discard someone who'd been a true friend simply because he didn't like who she'd chosen for a mate. It would also be a shame if their children missed out on what could be a wonderful friendship simply because of something so petty.

Harry sighed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy to maintain his friendship with Hermione over the objections of the family he was about to marry into.

Two days later, Hermione was eating lunch in the small staff room at the orphanage with Narcissa, along with Lucius, who'd decided to join his women for lunch.

In the past two months, Hermione had fallen into a fairly predictable routine. She spent three or four days per week with Lucius, time in which they devoted the large part of the day doing things together that served to strengthen their relationship. She did manage to reserve a few hours on those days to her studies, usually those preceding bedtime.

The bulk of her studying, however, was done on those days that he was with Narcissa. On her days alone, Hermione spent the most of the day in study, breaking only for meals. One day per week, always when Lucius was at Malfoy Manor, she worked at the orphanage.

At first, she'd spent those days taking care of the children's physical needs; changing diapers, playing with them in the yard, and so on. More recently, however, once Lucius had noticed her pregnancy was starting to show, he'd put a stop to that.

_"You don't need to be changing diapers," he told her one afternoon when he'd come to see her at the orphanage and caught her lifting a large toddler to take to the changing table. "You'll have a house-elf to attend to those disagreeable tasks once Lucinda arrives, so there's no need for you to practice this particular task." _

_After she'd passed the child to another volunteer, he came from behind and took her into his arms, clasping his hands around her expanding belly. Giving her a kiss on the side of the cheek, he murmured, "I don't want you doing anything physical here any longer; at least while you're still pregnant. I don't want you to strain yourself and risk harming the baby."_

Since that time, she'd been tutoring the school-age children in grammar and basic scientific principles as part of their pre-Hogwarts preparations. It had turned out to be a better use of her talents than diaper changing, anyway.

Today, as the three Malfoys conversed over lunch, an owl bearing the _Daily Prophet _appeared at the window. Lucius pointed his wand at the window to open it to allow the owl inside. After relieving the bird of its burden, he flicked his wand at the window again to close it after the bird had flown off.

Lucius handed the paper to Hermione, knowing she had to go back to work first. Giving him a smile as she took the newspaper, she began to read, as Lucius and Narcissa continued their conversation.

As Hermione spread the paper out on the table in front her, her eyes immediately fell on a headline midway down the page.

**Potter-Weasley Wedding Moved Up to May 8, 1999**

_Harry Potter and Ginevra Weasley, who had originally planned for a late August wedding, have moved the date up because if Miss Weasley's impending motherhood. _

_In an exclusive interview with the Daily Prophet, Miss Weasley divulged that her maid of honor would be Lavender Brown, with Romilda Vane, Fleur Weasley, and Parvati Patil as bridesmaids. Mr Potter will have Neville Longbottom as best man, with George Weasley, Bill Weasley, and Charlie Weasley as groomsmen._

_The wedding will take place in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with a reception to follow on the Hogwarts grounds._

_A combination bridal and baby shower will be held the Saturday after next in the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

Hermione folded the paper and thrust it away from her with an audible sniff.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked.

Indicating the paper, she said, "It's nothing I should really upset myself over."

Lucius glanced at the article in question, then waited, knowing that she _was_ upset, even if she didn't want to admit it.

He didn't have long to wait. "I know I wasn't going to be invited to Ginny's wedding or the shower," Hermione said, almost snorting in derision. "But did she have to pick Lavender Brown, of all people, as her maid of honor? Ginny has never been friends with her and I know she picked her just to get back at me!"

"I don't understand," Lucius began.

"In my sixth year, Ron went out with Lavender just to make me jealous," Hermione explained. "We'd had an argument and he wanted to get back at me."

"Vindictive little family, it would seem," Narcissa sniffed. "It seems as if you were very lucky to not marry into the Weasley family."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed.

Turning to Hermione, Narcissa said, "I've been planning to give you a baby shower once you've graduated in May."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Hermione said. "Though I do greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness."

"I know I don't have to," Narcissa said, smiling at the younger witch, reaching over to give her an encouraging pat on the hand. "It will be my pleasure to do so. It will give you a chance to meet some young wives and mothers and to make a new circle of friends."

Lucius smiled broadly to see how well his two women were getting along. Though both were as different from one another as night and day, they both shared an inherent dignity and depth of character that made for harmonious relations.

"I'll need a list of the friends you wish to invite," Narcissa continued. After a pause, she quickly added, "And, of course, your mother and grandmother will be welcome."

"It's very gracious of you to invite my Mum and Grams," Hermione said. "I appreciate you including them. But it's not necessary, really. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Nonsense!" Narcissa said. "It's time I broadened my horizons a bit."

"It will have to be just Mum, then" Hermione explained. "Grams doesn't know that I'm a witch or that the wizarding world exists. When Professor McGonagall visited to bring me my Hogwarts letter and to explain about the wizarding world just before my first year, she told us it would be best not to tell people outside the immediate family that I was a witch. The reason for this was to protect the secrecy of the wzarding world. So, we've never told Grams."

"I see," Narcissa said. "That was a wise thing to do."

"But I must tell you that Mum is going to throw another shower for family and muggle friends," Hermione said. "Unfortunately, we won't be able to invite you because the family was told that Lucius and I were married. We figured it would be easier, as to try to explain the consort relationship would lead to too many questions."

"I understand perfectly," Narcissa said, relieved at being spared having to attend that particular social event.

A moment later, another owl appeared at the window. Lucius repeated the wand movements as before. "It's for you," Lucius said as he took a small envelope from the bird and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione immediately recognized Harry's handwriting on the envelope. "It's from Harry," she said slowly.

After quickly scanning the short note, she said, "He wants to see me. He says he's got a few things to talk about."

"Go ahead and invite him to lunch tomorrow," Lucius said. "I'll be there to make sure he doesn't upset you."

Hermione scribbled a short reply, then gave it to the waiting owl. As the bird flew off, she wondered aloud, "I wonder what Harry wants? He's not tried to contact me since the day he brought Crookshanks to the penthouse."

"You'll find out tomorrow," Lucius told her.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my readers. I appreciate you.  
A/N Next Chapter: Lunch With Harry


	39. Lunch With Harry

Harry's acceptance to Hermione's lunch invitation arrived shortly after she returned home from the orphanage.

Lucius arrived by floo just as Hermione was reading Harry's note, as she sat on the couch in the library.

"Harry accepted my lunch invitation," Hermione told him, holding up the note, as soon as Lucius had dusted himself off.

"Excellent," Lucius said. "I've got a dinner appointment with Xeno Lovegood tomorrow night, so that will work out well."

"Luna wrote telling me she was going to tell her father that she and Draco were thinking about marriage," Hermione said. "I'm guessing that she told him."

"Xeno is apparently under the impression that I don't approve of the match," Lucius said, chuckling. "Little does he know that I'm the one who instigated it."

"Are you going to tell him?" Hermione asked.

"No, I think it's best that he thinks they fell in love all on their own," Lucius decided. "He's very much the idealist, and I'm thinking he'd be less enthusiastic about the match if he knew I engineered it."

"That's probably best," Hermione agreed.

Shortly before noon the next day, Harry Potter inhaled sharply as he knocked on the door of the Malfoy penthouse. He looked forward to having a real conversation with Hermione for the first time since she took up with Lucius Malfoy, but he was apprehensive about seeing Malfoy himself. Judging from his previous experiences with the man, Harry didn't hold out much hope of a warm reception from the haughty wizard.

The door opened to reveal a young female house elf.

"Harry Potter to see Hermione...err...Granger-Malfoy," Harry said to the elf.

"Oh, yes, Mistress Hermione and Master Lucius are expecting you," Breezy said. "Please come in and follow me."

Harry followed Breezy, who directed him to the library. He found Lucius and Hermione sitting side by side in matching chairs in front of the fireplace.

"Mister Harry Potter," Breezy announced, then stood aside for the young wizard to enter the room.

"Harry, I'm so glad to see you!" Hermione said warmly, standing to greet him. She was somewhat awkward rising to her feet, now that her pregnancy was beginning to show.

The young man noticed her expanding waistline and it was at this moment that the reality that she was pregnant by Lucius Malfoy belatedly hit him on an emotional, gut level. Harry mentally shuddered to himself, imagining the two of them in bed together.

"Mr Potter," Lucius greeted him with a terse nod.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry responded, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

Shaking off the mental picture of Hermione and Lucius being intimate, he opened his arms to give Hermione a hug. "You're looking well," he said meaning it. Hermione was the stereotypical picture of a pregnant woman in glowing, good health. "Pregnancy seems to agree with you."

"I've never felt better in my life," Hermione assured him. "How have you been doing? I've missed having you around."

"I've been busy," Harry said. "I spent all that time helping Mr Weasley rebuilding the Burrow, then Ginny's been keeping me busy with wedding plans. And along with all of that, I've been taking Auror training. Most nights, I just sink into bed, asleep before my head hits the pillow."

"Who is conducting Auror training now?" Lucius asked in a bored tone of voice. "What with Moody gone and Shacklebolt as Minister of Magic and all that."

"It's been mainly Gawain Robards," Harry told him. "But some of the others help out and fill in. We're getting kind of a crash course, considering how many were lost in the war."

"Interesting," Lucius said. After a pause, he drawled, "It would seem that the wizard who took down the greatest dark wizard of the 20th century would need little in the way of further training."

Not sure how to take Malfoy's comment, Harrry said carefully, "Oh, I've learned that I can always learn something new, no matter the teacher."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed, looking at Hermione. "An admirable attitude."

"Lunch should be about ready now," Hermione said. "Why don't we all go to the dining room?"

A few minutes later when the three were seated around the table, Hermione said, "So, Harry, what did you want to see me about today?"

Harry reached into his pocket, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to Hermione. "I wanted to hand-deliver you an invitation to my wedding."

Noting the surprised expression on Hermione's face, he added, "It wouldn't be the same without you there, Hermione. It would mean so much to me if you could come." Looking at Lucius, he added, "You're invited, too, of course."

"Pardon my skepticism, but I can hardly imagine that Miss Weasley would want either of us at the wedding," Lucius drawled. "Does she even know that you're here today?"

After heaving a loud sigh, Harry said, "I won't lie; Ginny wasn't going to invite you, but when she saw how much this means to me, she changed her mind. I can't say that she's thrilled about it, but she'll swallow her pride for my sake."

"While I appreciate the effort you're making, Mr Potter, I cannot say that this is a particularly welcoming invitation," Lucius observed. "But as this isn't about me, I will abide by whatever Hermione decides to do."

"I don't want to be any trouble," Hermione said. "Maybe it would be best if we didn't come."

"I really want you there," Harry said quietly. "Even if the Weasleys don't."

Reaching over to take her hand, he said, "You're the closest thing I have to a sister. The Weasleys really don't understand, because they've always had each other and taken having a family for granted." After a pause, he continued, "The wedding and reception will be at Hogwarts and everyone will be there; there shouldn't be any problem.

"Well, in that case, we accept," Hermione said, giving Harry a reassuring smile. "You and I been there for one another for seven years, so I'll be there for you for this, too."

"Thank you, Hermione," Harry said, obviously relieved. "It means a lot to me." Heaving another sigh, he told her, "But I couldn't get her to budge on the shower, though. I'm sorry."

"That's perfectly all right, Harry," Hermione said. "I don't think I would have cared to go anyway, considering the bad feelings between Ginny and I in the last few months. Anyway, I'll be having baby showers of my own."

"I'm glad you understand," Harry said. "It's really important to me that we don't lose our friendship."

"I don't want to lose you, either," Hermione said. "I never did. And I really regret losing the Weasleys over this, but, really, that was their choice." After taking a sip of tea, she continued, "But I had to do what was best for me. After all, the Weasleys aren't going to live my life for me."

"I can't really say that I understand why you did this," Harry began. Giving Malfoy a sidelong glance, he hastily added, "No offense."

"None taken," Lucius said, amused as Harry's discomfiture.

"But I've never known you to do something important without very good reasons, Hermione" Harry continued. "And though I still don't really understand, I'll trust your judgement and give Mr Malfoy the benefit of the doubt." Directing his attention to Lucius again, he added, "And you'd better not give Hermione any reason to regret her choice to be with you."

"You have nothing to fear, Mr Potter," Lucius assured him, fully understanding the implied threat in Harry's words. As he met the young man's eyes and considered his earnest expression, he saw his sincerity about maintaining a friendship with Hermione. "Hermione's well-being and that of any children we might have together will always be my utmost concern."

Hermione reached over and took Lucius' hand in a loving gesture, "Believe me, Harry, being with Lucius _is_ the best thing for me," she said, beaming at her consort. "I've never been happier."

"I'm glad for you," Harry said, giving her a tentative smile.

A few minutes later, Lucius rose from his seat and said, "I believe I'll leave you and Mr Potter to have a private conversation. I have some business to attend to this afternoon, plus there's that dinner appointment this evening that we spoke of."

Hermione stood to give Lucius a proper goodbye. "I'll miss you," she whispered as he took her into his embrace. After a long, lingering kiss, he idly stroked her hair and murmured, "I'll be back later this evening."

"I'll be waiting," she said with a faintly seductive tone.

As Harry watched the couple in their parting ritual, it dawned on him that they were deeply in love with one another. Their tender goodbyes conveyed this truth to Harry in a way that mere words never could.

When he left the penthouse two hours later, Harry was in a much better frame of mind than when he'd arrived. He only hoped that Ginny would also one day come to see that Hermione's bond with Lucius Malfoy was indeed for the best and would forgive Hermione and put the past behind her.

--  
A/N Thanks again to my faithful readers  
A/N Next Chapter: Lucius and Xeno Make Plans


	40. Lucius and Xeno Make Plans

After returning to Malfoy Manor, Lucius spent most of the afternoon catching up on his correspondence. One owl message was sent to Horace Slughorn, inviting him for lunch that coming Saturday at the penthouse.

Shortly after he'd sent off the message to Slughorn, Narcissa arrived home from the orphanage in a foul mood.

"Lucius," she said as she entered the library. "I didn't expect you to be home. But I'm glad you're here."

"We're having Xeno Lovegood to dinner tonight," Lucius reminded her. "Don't you remember? We're going to discuss Luna's relationship with Draco."

"Oh, yes, of course," Narcissa said. "I've been so busy with the orphanage, that it completely slipped my mind." Heaving a loud sigh, she carped, "I don't know if I can take dealing with Molly Weasley much longer. She wants to tell everyone how to do their work down there because, according to her, no one knows how to be a mother any better than she does!"

"You don't have to put up with her meddling," Lucius told her. "Put her in her place and remind her that you're the director of the orphanage not her. Tell her if she can't deal with that, then she's quite free to leave. If it were me, I'd not have let her volunteer in the first place. She's more trouble than she's worth, in my opinion."

"It was against my better judgment to let her volunteer," Narcissa admitted. "I wasn't at all impressed with the way she spoke to Hermione that first day, but Andromeda convinced me we needed everyone we could get to volunteer and that scheduling her and Hermione on different days would solve the problem. Obviously, I was wrong."

"Get rid of her and don't think another thing about it," Lucius said firmly. "You have enough volunteers now, anyway."

"I'll do it the next time I see her," Narcissa replied, feeling as if a weight had been taken from her shoulders. "Life is too short to have to deal with Molly Weasley if I don't absolutely have to."

An hour later, Snappy entered the room and announced, "Mr Xenophilius Lovegood has arrived."

"Show him in," Narcissa said.

A moment later, the house elf returned, followed by a tall, skinny man with wispy white hair who was dressed in a violently fuchsia robe. He peered around the room, eyes squinted, as if he was confused as to exactly where he was.

After giving a sidewise glance at her husband, holding back an instinctive smirk, Narcissa said, "Welcome, Mr Lovegood! Please have a seat and Snappy will bring you whatever you wish to drink."

"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy," he said, giving her a grateful smile. "I'll have a cup of tea, please."

"Call me Narcissa," she said. "And may I call you Xeno?"

"Yes, of course," he replied. "I'd be quite pleased if you did."

"Lucius tells me that you wish to talk about Draco's relationship with Luna," Narcissa prompted a few minutes later as the three sat around the dinner table.

"Yes, I do," he said resolutely. "Luna told me a few days ago that she's been seeing your son for a few months now and that they're talking marriage. I must say it came as quite a surprise to me, as I've never known her to have a suitor before."

"Children grow up quickly," Lucius said smoothly, giving the older wizard a tight smile.

"I've not had a chance to meet Draco yet," Xeno said. "But I'm sure he's a fine young man. I trust my Luna's judgment. If she says she loves him and that he loves her, then that's good enough for me."

Looking at Lucius, he said, "I hope you won't stand in their way. Luna's always been a good girl and she'd make a fine wife for your son."

"I agree completely," Lucius said briefly. "She is a friend to Hermione and has shown her true loyalty, which I greatly appreciate. If she is that loyal to a platonic friend, I can easily imagine how much more loyal she would be to a husband."

Xeno looked befuddled for a few seconds at the mention of Hermione's name, before he remembered that Lucius had entered into a consort relationship with the young witch. "Oh, yes, your consort," Xeno finally said. "Luna told me all about that."

"I've not met Luna yet," Narcissa told him. "But Lucius assures me she's perfectly lovely."

"You've met Luna?" Xeno asked Lucius, surprised. "She didn't mention that in her letters."

"Yes, several times," Lucius confirmed. "She's come to visit Hermione at the penthouse. In fact, that's where she and Draco first got together."

"So I take it you'll give your approval for their marriage?" Xeno asked, wanting to make absolutely certain. He knew that Lucius Malfoy was a wizard one didn't care to cross if one could avoid it.

"Wholeheartedly," Lucius assured him with a smile. "Luna will be a welcome addition to the Malfoy family."

"I'm afraid I can't afford to give her much of a wedding," Xeno said apologetically. "I lost The _Quibbler_ in all the unpleasantness last year, and I've only been able to find odd jobs since that time."

"That's perfectly all right," Lucius said smoothly. "It will be my pleasure to pay for everything. There's no need to worry about a thing."

"And I'll be more than happy to help Luna plan the wedding," Narcissa said. "I'm looking forward to having a daughter-in-law."

"I'm so glad you both approve," Xeno said, obviously relieved. "My only interest is in Luna's happiness. As you can imagine, it's been rather difficult for her since her mother died. Difficult for both of us."

"And that brings me to another matter," Lucius said. "I'm prepared to put up the funds to help you restart the _Quibbler_ and also to rebuild your home."

"That's not necessary," Xeno said hastily. "I prefer not to take charity."

"It's not charity," Lucius told him. "Rather, I see it as in investment. I fully expect that you will turn the _Quibbler _into a money-making proposition and that you will repay me as you are able to do so. And the future grandfather of Draco's children needs to have a proper home for when they come to visit." After a pause, he added, "And I suspect this will make Luna happy, which will, in turn, make Draco happy. And when Draco is happy, so am I."

"Considering you put it that way, I accept," the older wizard said hesitantly.

"Excellent," Lucius said. "I fully expect you to give the _Daily Prophet_ some healthy competition."

"I intend to," Xeno assured him. "I've never backed down from printing stories that the _Prophet_ was afraid to publish."

The three spent the rest of the meal in mundane conversation. Xeno left shortly after they'd finished dinner, with Lucius promising to get in touch with him soon with detailed plans on the reconstruction of his home and the restarting of the _Quibbler._

"That went well," Narcissa observed after Snappy had escorted Xeno to the door.

"I thought so," Lucius agreed. "It is rather satisfying when my plans work out precisely as I intended."

--  
A/N Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story from the beginning and also to my new readers.  
A/N New entry at my blog: Images of Xeno Lovegood. My blog can be accessed through my profile  
A/N In my last chapter, I'd mistakenly put the Slughorn chapter as coming before this chapter about Xeno. However, the Slughorn chapter is next: "Slughorn Comes to Visit".


	41. Slughorn Comes To Visit

When Lucius returned to the penthouse later that night, he found Hermione deep in study in the library.

"How did it go with Luna's father?" she asked as Lucius poured himself a glass of cognac and took a seat on the couch.

"Quite smoothly, actually," Lucius said. "He was nervous when he first arrived, but once he understood that I did not oppose the match, he became more at ease. Understandably, his main concern was for Luna's happiness."

"She's all he has," Hermione noted, closing her books to go snuggle with Lucius on the couch. "And, until she made friends with my friends in our fifth year, he was all she had."

"I made my proposals to Xeno about helping him to rebuild his home and to restart his newspaper," Lucius said. "At first, he protested; saying he didn't want to accept charity, but I reminded him that Luna wouldn't simply be gaining a husband, but that she'd be joining a family. And, as a member of her family, he would also be considered a part of the Malfoy family. He was considerably more amenable to my suggestions after that."

"I'm sure that being included in an extended family will do them both a world of good," Hermione observed. "They'll be less insular, which will help to curb both their more eccentric inclinations."

"And they will add a bit of color to my family," Lucius said with a chuckle. He left unsaid his belief that the marriage would also be another building block in rehabilitating the Malfoy name and regaining his influence in wizarding society.

"Sounds like it will be a good thing all around," Hermione agreed, smiling.

Changing the subject, Lucius said, "I've invited Horace Slughorn over for lunch on Saturday."

"Oh, well, that's nice," Hermione said, then waited for Lucius to elaborate. She'd been with him long enough to know that this was no simple social occasion, but that he would have some other purpose for wanting to see Slughorn.

"Ever since that incident you had with the Gryffindors in the Great Hall, I've been thinking about Minerva McGonagall's fitness to continue as Headmistress of Hogwarts," Lucius told her. "Because I will have at least one more child attending Hogwarts in the future, and I will also one day have grandchildren going there, I want to make sure that Hogwarts is a place where all four Houses are treated fairly. For that to happen, the era of Gryffindor favoritism that Dumbledore started back in the 1950s and continues under McGonagall to this day, must come to an end." Giving Hermione a serious look, he said firmly, "By the time Lucinda starts at Hogwarts, I want that old bat gone."

"Lucinda isn't even born yet!" Hermione pointed out. "Isn't it a bit early to be worrying about this? Professor McGonagall is likely to have retired on her own by then, anyway."

"I think the sooner this issue is addressed, the better," Lucius told her. "After all, there are Slytherin students there now who continue to be treated as second-class students. And even if a new Headmaster was appointed tomorrow, it will take time to change a practice and a mindset that has existed for more than forty years."

With a rueful expression, Lucius continued, "It's not as if I can go straight to the Governors and openly tell them I want her gone because she favors her own house! Even at the height of my influence with the Ministry, I would have needed a more serious incident in order to be able to have done that. Instead, I'll have to conduct a behind the scenes campaign to convince the Governors that she needs to retire."

"Who do you have in mind to replace her?" Hermione asked.

"Horace Slughorn," Lucius said. "I invited him to lunch to see if he'd be interested in being Headmaster."

"Professor Slughorn is considerably older than Headmistress McGonagall, I would think," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes, he's older, but I'd say he's healthier," Lucius countered. "Unlike Minerva McGongall, Horace Slughorn has never taken four stunners to the chest in battle. Few people would dispute that this particular incident did nothing to improve her long-term health prospects."

"That's true," Hermione admitted reluctantly.

"Horace isn't nearly as old as Dumbledore was, and I think he's got a lot of good years still left in him," Lucius said. "And he's the perfect person to help improve Slytherin's reputation, as he's always been clearly associated with the Light side."

"Well, I do agree that it might be better for Professor McGonagall's health if she did retire," Hermione conceded. "And Professor Slughorn would likely make a good Headmaster -- he is a very good mentor, after all. Actually, I can't really think of anyone else who would do better, right off the top of my head."

"See?" Lucius said. "You know I'm right."

"You usually are," Hermione agreed, giving him a soft kiss.

Lucius took her into his arms then, and for the rest of the evening, their attention was diverted to more pleasurable activities.

--

"Lovely home you have here," Horace Slughorn said the following Saturday as Lucius and Hermione gave him the grand tour of their penthouse.

"We like it," Lucius replied smoothly. "It's convenient and cozy."

A short time later, when they were seated around the table, Slughorn turned to Lucius and said, "So, what's on your mind, Lucius. I know you didn't invite me here just to show off your penthouse and give me a good meal."

"Ah, you know me all too well," Lucius replied, grateful that the old man had gotten straight to the point and saved him the necessity of subtly leading up to the purpose of the visit.

"Spit it out, then, m'boy," Slughorn encouraged, giving Lucius his undivided attention.

"After my visit to Hogwarts some time ago, after Hermione was snubbed by her own house in the Great Hall, I did some thinking about the way Hogwarts is run," Lucius began. "When I was there, I noticed that the number of Slytherin students have been greatly diminished. I know that some families who have not renounced their support of the Dark Lord chose to send their children elsewhere, considering the current political climate, but there were too many gone for that to be the entire answer. I'm guessing that a larger reason is that many Slytherin families have just had enough of the pro-Gryffindor bias that's been going on for the last forty years or so. They've also had enough of the typical guilt-by-association view that many in Hogwarts take toward Slytherin in general."

Slughorn nodded, but remained silent, knowing that Lucius was working up to his point.

"I believe it's time for a new Headmaster at Hogwarts," Lucius said. "As long as Minerva McGonagall remains Headmistress, nothing will change; she will simply continue the path that Dumbledore started." Looking squarely at the older wizard, he concluded, "And I believe that the right man for that job is you."

"You do know that I was quite happily retired when Albus persuaded me to return to my post as Potions Master," Slughorn told him. "And I'm not getting any younger."

"Yet you are in much better health than Headmistress McGonagall," Lucius pointed out. "You haven't recently taken four stunners to the chest, have you?"

Not waiting for a reply, he pushed on, "And you are unique in that you're a Slytherin who is well regarded by the Light side, who is completely free of any allegiances to the Dark Side. You are a living contradiction to the commonly held prejudice that to be Slytherin is necessarily to be evil. If Slytherin House is to repair its reputation and regain its good standing the wizarding world, you are the most qualified wizard who can lead Hogwarts in the right direction.' After a pause, he concluded, "Your House needs you to do this."

"All right," Slughorn said, heaving a loud sigh. "I'll accept if I'm offered the Headmaster position."

"Excellent," Lucius said. "I knew I could count on you."

"How do you plan to get this accomplished?" Slughorn asked. "You do know that Headmistress McGonagall is well respected by the Board of Governors."

"There are still two members of the Board that I still have a great deal of influence over," he said. "That is, I know enough about their private lives to blackmail them with, if need be. Also, two of the more anti-Slytherin members are retiring soon. I plan to ask my sister-in-law Andromeda Tonks, who is another Slytherin who is well-regarded by the Light side, to run for one of the seats. And I plan to use the support of the previously mentioned two members to run for the second seat myself. I will use my connections to the managing editor of the Daily Prophet to run articles that will present a favorable image of me."

Pausing to take a bite of food, he continued, "I will present the need for a new Headmaster from the perspective of concern for Minerva McGonagall's health. It would be best if this concern could be put to her privately by someone she trusts, rather than publicly asking her to step down, but I'll do what's necessarily in order to get the job done. Concurrently, when your name is presented as a candidate to replace her, I'll bring up the fact that you've mentored many successful members of our community who have come from all four houses. You'll be presented as a man who will promote unity among all four Hogwarts Houses, not just that you'll be good for Slytherin."

Hermione didn't say much as the men conversed, but simply marveled to see what a smooth operator her consort was. She was suddenly very glad that she was bound to him and not one of his opponents in life.

"It sounds as if you've thought this out well and have it all well in hand, m'boy," Slughorn noted. "You'd have made a fine Minister of Magic, if I do say so myself, Lucius."

Lucius preened under Slughorn's praise -- he couldn't have said anything that would have pleased Lucius more. "I thank you, Professor," Lucius said quietly. "I'm quite honored to know that you think I'd have done well in that position."

"Well, I suppose I must be getting back to Hogwarts," Slughorn said. "It seems as if I'll be needing to draw up a set of goals that I wish to accomplish as Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"I'll keep you apprised of my progress," Lucius promised as he and Hermione accompanied the old wizard to the door.

"Thank you for the delicious meal," Slughorn said to Hermione at the door. "I'm sorry you and I didn't get much of a chance to converse. We'll have to do so another time."

"I look forward to it," Hermione said, smiling at him.

--  
A/N Thanks again to all my faithful readers and reviewers  
A/N Next Chapter: Revisiting a Tragedy


	42. Revisiting A Tragedy

The following Wednesday, Lucius and Hermione made one of their periodical forays to Flourish and Blotts to stock up on books. Hermione wanted to get a few books about child raising and also hoped to find a novel for some light reading. She found it helped to clear her mind when she'd been doing intensive studying to have a change of pace by reading a bit of fiction.

Lucius didn't need anything new to read, but he enjoyed watching Hermione enthuse over the different books available for selection. Her face always took on a delighted glow whenever she considered the prospect of learning something new, so he took great care to indulge her passion for books at every given opportunity. It was a practice that paid off well for him, as she was wont to indulge his passions for more carnal desires after they'd spent an afternoon "booking", as she liked to call it.

As they left the store after he'd paid for her purchases and were walking down Diagon Alley to have dinner at a nearby restaurant, a matronly woman in late middle age approached them hesitantly.

"Lucius Malfoy?" she asked in a timid, quavering voice.

Lucius raised an eyebrow as he turn to respond to the woman, whose fashion sense was a cross between that of Delores Umbridge and Augusta Longbottom. As much as his name and picture had been seen in the _Daily Prophet_ over the years, he was surprised there was anyone left in Diagon Alley who didn't know exactly who he was.

"Yes, I'm Lucius Malfoy," he affirmed, wondering what the woman wanted with him. "And you are?"

"Constance Burbage, " the witch replied. "I've lived in New Zealand for many years and I've only just now been able to return to England."

"Ahhh," Lucius said once he'd heard her surname, suddenly understanding where the woman was going with this.

"I'm sorry to disturb you and your lady," she said, gesturing at Hermione, who was now obviously pregnant. "But I've only just found out about my younger sister's disappearance and I came back to England to see if I could find out what happened to her." Without waiting for Lucius to respond, she explained "She's 12 years younger than me and I'd moved to New Zealand while she was still in Hogwarts and we'd not kept in very close contact over the years."

"Mm, hmm," Lucius said, waiting for her to get to the point.

"No one I've asked about her since my return has been able to help me," she said. "The rumor is that she was abducted by Death Eaters shortly before the school year at Hogwarts was to begin last year. She'd spent the summer at her flat in London and when she never showed up at Hogwarts to begin the school year, no trace of her was found when someone was sent to her flat to check on her. Several people I've asked about her suggested I find you and see if you could help me, because you were once a supporter of You Know Who."

Lucius heaved a loud sigh, not really wishing to deal with this woman in front of Hermione. But he also understood her concern about her sister and that her desire for closure was a legitimate one. And he intended to give her that closure. Nevertheless, he didn't want Hermione to hear the grisly details of what had happened to Charity Burbage, as she didn't need to hear anything that would profoundly upset her while she was pregnant.

Turning to Hermione, he said in a quiet, but firm voice, "Go ahead to the restaurant and place our order and I will be along in a few minutes."

Hermione was about to protest, but the look in Lucius' eyes made her bite back her instinctual questions. "All right, Lucius," she said. "What shall I order for you?"

"I'll leave that up to you," he said. "You know what I like." Giving her a gentle kiss, he said, "It's all right. I'll be along shortly."

After Hermione was out of earshot, he turned back to Constance Burbage, and said in a low voice, "I can help you. I know what happened to her." Looking around, he saw a park bench a short distance away. "Why don't we take a seat over there. You'll want to be seated for this."

"All right," she said nervously.

Once they were seated, Constance turned to Lucius and asked, "She's dead, isn't she?"

"I'm afraid so," Lucius said slowly. "I'm very sorry."

"Are you?" she asked sharply.

Lucius did not reply, knowing the woman was acting out of grief.

"Who killed her?" Constance asked in a softer voice. Rationally, she knew that the man before her had not killed her sister, as he'd have been sent to Azkaban if he had. "And why Charity? She was a quiet woman who never bothered anyone. Charity always minded her own business."

"It was the Dark Lord -- Voldemort himself," Lucius said. "It seems that your sister wrote an article for the _Daily Prophet_ defending muggleborns which caught the Dark Lord's attention. When he discovered that she was also the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts, he decided to have her kidnapped."

"Tell me everything," Constance begged. "I need to know so can put her memory to rest." After a pause, she said, "And if you know where she's buried, I need to know that, too, so I can move her to our family plot."

Lucius shuddered briefly as he remembered what had happened to Charity Burbage's body. He didn't really want to tell this woman about that part, but he conceded she had the right to know the truth, however horrific it was.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "He held her prisoner for about a week, and during that time he subjected her several times to torture, primarily the Cruciatus curse. On the day he killed her, he suspended her upside down in the drawing room, under a silencing spell, and had her rotating in the air above a table where Voldemort bade us all to sit, as he lectured us on the evils of muggleborn tolerance. He briefly removed the silencing spell, and she begged Severus Snape to help her. Shortly after that, Voldemort had had enough and cast Avada Kedavra on her."

"Why didn't you help her?" Constance demanded. "Why didn't Snape help her? Why did all those people in the room simply let this happen."

"There was nothing anyone could have done," Lucius said, his voice raised a degree. "You must understand that my wife and I were no longer loyal to Voldemort by that time. Voldemort sensed this and had taken over my home. My family and I were held as virtual prisoners in our own home. He'd threatened my son and my wife and I feared for their safety. We were in no position to do anything to openly defy Voldemort at that time."

Looking intently into the woman's eyes, Lucius snarled, "Voldemort had taken my wand away from me just moments before he killed your sister and he used _my wand_ to kill her with! I'd just been stripped of my wand, so I was the last person who could have done her any good at that moment!" Lucius looked away in shame after saying this, as there was no greater disgrace to a wizard than having his wand taken from him, as it symbolically reduced a wizard to the status of a muggle.

After a moment, he added, "Even if I'd had my wand, you must realize that if I'd made the slightest move to help her, Voldemort would have killed my wife and son in front of me, then killed me, and your sister would have been last. It would have all been for nothing. You have to realize that my wife and son -- that bastard made my teenage son watch what happened to your sister -- were in the room and I had to put their safety above that of anyone else."

"I understand," Constance said softly, a tear creeping from her eye. "But could you at least tell me where she's buried, so I can make sure she's properly laid to rest?"

"I can't," he began, in an oddly hollow voice.

"You can't?" she demanded. "Do you mean you don't know where she's buried or do you mean you _won't_ tell me?"

"I can't tell you because she wasn't buried," Lucius admitted reluctantly.

"Wasn't buried?" she exclaimed, clutching his arm. "What did he do with her body?"

"His snake -- he fed her body to the snake," Lucius choked out, his voice barely audible. "Your sister was Nagini's dinner!"

"Oh, Merlin!" Constance thought she was going to be sick, as bile rose in her throat. She instinctively grabbed Lucius' hand, looking for any sort of human comfort.

Lucius allowed this, giving her hand a sympathetic squeeze, but looked away with a haunted expression as she remembered how his wife and son were made to witness that particular horror.

After a long moment, she gathered herself together and rose from the bench. "Thank you, Mr Malfoy, for being candid with me," she said in a distant voice. "I'm sure it was quite difficult for you to relive that particular memory. I won't keep you any longer; I'm sure your mistress will be wondering what's keeping you." She hurried off, not sparing Lucius a backwards glance.

Lucius remained on the bench alone, lost in thought, long after Constance Burbage had gone. Tears came unbidden to his eyes, and he cried for the first time in many years as he once again contemplated how close he'd come to losing his family, just as this woman had lost her sister. Finally, he pulled himself together, then left to join Hermione, as it wouldn't do for her to find him in this state.

--  
A/N Thanks once again to my readers and reviewers  
A/N Next Chapter: Surprises


	43. Surprises

A week and a half later, Lucius and Narcissa sat in the breakfast room of Malfoy Manor having what would be more properly described as brunch. Lucius, still in his nightclothes and feeling lazy and satisfied, gazed at his similarly clad wife in appreciation.

Narcissa had surprised him the night before when she'd come to sit on his lap in the library after dinner and proceeded to seduce him. Lucius had been pleasantly surprised, as he couldn't remember the last time she'd initiated sex. They'd ended up having sex right there on the library sofa in front of the fireplace, before moving to the bedroom where they'd continued their amorous activities until the wee hours.

Now, as the long-married couple sat contentedly together at the table, they felt almost like newlyweds again. Lucius didn't know what had happened with Narcissa to stimulate her libido, but whatever it was, he hoped it would continue. Between Narcissa and Hermione, Lucius would have every one of his sexual needs met on a continuing basis.

As the house elf cleared away their now-empty plates, Lucius turned to Narcissa and said in feigned confusion, "Whatever shall we do now, with such a long afternoon ahead of us?" He then reached over and gave her a little nibble on her neck.

"I can think of something," she breathed, wrapping her arms around him, with one hand slipping low to find his newly-grown erection.

"I knew you would," he murmured, his hand reaching around her to cup her bottom.

"I go away for a few months and look what you two are getting into!" Draco Malfoy said in mock reproval as he entered the breakfast room and caught his parents groping one another. Though normally Draco would prefer not to be reminded that his parents were sexual beings, he was heartened by this sight, as it reassured him that his father still loved his mother, despite his bond with Hermione Granger.

Lucius and Narcissa immediately drew back from one another, straightening their clothes, staring in shock as they registered their son's untimely arrival.

"Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed. "What are you doing here now? You weren't supposed to come home until tomorrow!"

"If you'd been just five minutes later, you would have really gotten an eyeful," Lucius drawled, not the slightest bit embarrassed.

"I finished up my testing early," Draco explained. "So I thought I'd come home early and surprise you." Looking sideways at his father, he observed dryly, "It seems as if I've accomplished my goal." Hurriedly changing the subject, "And I've got a surprise for Luna, too."

"Oh?" Lucius asked. "Have a seat and tell us about it."

"I'm going to go up to Hogwarts this afternoon and surprise Luna," Draco said as he pulled a small box out of his pocket. "And I'm going to propose to her." He opened the box to reveal a large heart shaped ruby solitaire on a wide band of white, yellow, and rose gold. The band was decorated with carved leaves and other patterns to create a unique ring fitting for a young woman as original as Luna.

"Oh, how lovely," Narcissa said, as she took the ring from the box to model on her own fiinger. "I'm sure she'll love it."

"I hope so," Draco said. "I went through a lot of jewelry before I picked this ring."

"Very good, son," Lucius said, smiling at Draco in approval. "I think you've made a wise decision." Looking sideways at Narcissa, eager to return to what he'd started before Draco had interrupted, he said, "In fact, I think you should go up there right away to propose. There's no point in putting it off. We've already had the talk with her father and the three of us are ready to start with wedding preparations as soon as you say the word."

Understanding the unstated reason behind his father's urgency, Draco replied, "You're right. The sooner I have this ring on her finger, the happier I'll be." Heading to the door, he said, "I'll owl you later this evening and let you know how it went."

After Draco had gone, Lucius turned to Narcissa with a wicked grin and said, "Now where were we?"

"I don't remember," she said, returning his smile. "I think you'll have to show me."

And Lucius proceeded to do just that.

--

Luna Lovegood had debated on whether or not to attend Ginny Weasley's bridal/baby shower. The Gryffindor girl had acted decidedly cool toward her since Luna had stood up for Hermione that day in the Great Hall. She'd been surprised when the almost-belated invitation had shown up for her last night at dinner by paper-airplane memo.

After a bit of consideration, she decided to go. Draco was due home on Sunday, and the shower would be a way for her to pass the time while waiting to see him. The late invitation limited her choice of gift, but Luna didn't worry about that. She'd been able to acquire enough yarn to make a blanket for Harry and Ginny, plus a matching one for the baby. Luna happened to know a good knitting spell that had been able to instantly make both blankets.

The party was scheduled for two o'clock, so Luna returned to her dorm after lunch, instead of going on to Hogsmeade as she usually did on Saturday afternoons. She changed into her best robe, which was royal blue to match her eyes. After wrapping each blanket in gift paper; with chiming wedding bells decorations for one and crying babies for the other, she headed back to the Great Hall.

When she entered the Great Hall a few minutes later, promptly at two, she saw that everyone else was already there and the party was in progress. Every head turned to stare at her as she approached the Gryffindor table, accompanied by a few snickers.

"I thought the party was supposed to start at two," Luna said softly, half to herself, as she took a seat at the end of the table, which had been temporarily reduced to a smaller size.

"Oh, didn't you get my note?" Lavender Brown said in a saccharine voice. "I sent you a note telling you that the starting time was moved back to 1:15." Her insincere smile betrayed the fact that she'd done no such thing.

"Never mind that," Molly Weasley said from the other end of the table. "You're here now."

The group had been nearly at the end of the gift giving segment of the party and Luna was amazed at the growing pile of gifts on an adjoining table. She placed her two packages on the small remaining pile of unopened gifts.

Ginny immediately snatched up Luna's gifts and opened them, giving sideways glances to the other girls as she did so. As she pulled the blanket out of its wrapping, her expression changed to one of smirking bafflement.

When Ginny held the blanket up, everyone giggled, as it was made of yarn of several different, clashing colors.

"What's the matter, Luna?" Lavender smirked. "Couldn't you find enough yarn in just one color?" Several of the other girls snickered in response.

"It's a 'Two Become One' pattern," Molly supplied, feeling a bit sorry for Luna. "The different colors represent the different parts of Harry's and Ginny's lives, which are knitted together to represent that they'll be following a common path together." Smiling at Luna, she said, "I think it's a very thoughtful gift."

"Eet ees lovely," Fleur seconded, patting Luna on the hand.

Luna smiled gratefully at the two women, as Ginny belatedly said, "Thank you, Luna."

Before Luna could reply, Lavender called out, "Look who just walked in!"

Everyone swiveled around to look at the door as Draco Malfoy strode confidently into the Great Hall.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Lavender exclaimed. Several others murmured similar sentiments as the younger Malfoy walked in their direction.

"Surely you didn't invite _him_, did you, Ginny?" Romilda asked, snickering.

As the group speculated on the reasons for Draco Malfoy's presence, Luna lit up like a birthday cake as she stood to greet him.

She met him when he'd nearly reached the table. "You're early," she breathed, as he kissed her. "I didn't expect you home until tomorrow evening."

"I thought I'd surprise you," he murmured, putting his arm around her, knowing full well that Ginny's friends were all staring at them in goggle-eyed shock.

"I don't know which of you is crazier," Ginny muttered. "Luna for going out with the ferret Malfoy or Malfoy for picking a looney for a girlfriend."

Draco turned and regarded Ginny Weasley with narrowed eyes, "You're pathetic, Weaslette," he drawled, his lip curled into a sneer. "I actually feel sorry for Potter getting saddled with you! Turning to Luna, he said, "Come on, Luna. We've got a lot to talk about."

Luna didn't say a word, but merely put her hand in his and allowed him to lead her away.

"A bad seed, that one is," Molly Weasley muttered. "He's going to turn out exactly like his father."

"I certainly hope so," Draco said, turning to give her a sunny smile.

A moment later, once they'd left the hall, Draco turned to Luna and asked, "What on Earth were you doing with all those harpies?"

"I was curious," Luna said. "They invited me at the last minute, so I imagine they didn't expect me to show up. But I did want to give Harry a gift, so I went anyway!" Smiling up at him, she said, "I missed you. I'm glad you came home early."

"I missed you, too," he said, as they stepped out into the courtyard. As they seated themselves on a bench, he murmured, "And I've got another surprise for you."

Luna waited expectantly, but did not speak.

As he reached into his pocket with one hand, he took Luna's hand with the other. With a snap of his wrist in a practiced maneuver, the ring box sprang open to reveal the ruby ring he'd shown his parents.

"Luna, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" Draco asked earnestly. "I want you to be the mother of my children and to be by my side always."

"Oh, yes!" Luna said happily. "A thousand times yes!"

After slipping the ring on her left ring finger, he leaned over to kiss her. After they came up for air several minutes later, he murmured, "You've made me the happiest man in England."

--  
A/N Thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers!  
A/N New blog entry: Luna's Engagement Ring. My blog can be accessed by a link on my profile.  
A/N Next chapter: Love, Finally.


	44. Love, Finally

The night before her graduation from Hogwarts, Hermione carefully placed all her schoolbooks on a section of the shelves in the penthouse library that she'd cleared out for them earlier that day.

Lucius found her there a few minutes later, gazing at the shelved books with a fond, but wistful expression. Taking her in his arms from behind, wrapping his hands around her pregnant belly, he murmured, "What are you thinking about?"

Hermione smiled as she put one hand on top of his. "I'm looking at seven -- no, eight -- years of my life on that shelf," she said. "I was just thinking that ten years ago, none of this would have been imaginable to me." Turning to face Lucius, she added quietly, "And if I'd not been magical, I'd never have found you. I simply cannot imagine life without you."

"Ah, but you _are_ magical; very much so," Lucius said, reaching down to kiss her. "There's no point in speculating about what could have been. Everything happens for a reason, my dear, and I'm quite certain that fate meant for you to be a witch and for us to be together." Indicating the shelved books with a sweep of the hand, he added, "It won't be too many years before our daughter needs those books for herself. And there will be quite a bit more studying for you in the future, I would imagine. I'm also sure that there will one day be books written by you on our shelves."

"Yes, you're right," Hermione said. "I should be looking forward, not looking back, as there is so much to look forward to." Smiling, she said, "And there are several books I'd like to write, but I want to do more research first."

Lucius took her hand and led her to the couch. After they'd seated themselves, he said, "I was going to wait until later to give you this, but I suppose now is as good a time as any." He reached into his robe and pulled out a rectangular, flat box, then handed it to her.

"Oh, it's lovely!" Hermione exclaimed after she opened the box and saw what it contained. Inside was an expensive platinum and emerald bracelet. A runic inscription, "Knowledge is Power", was on a center plate, with multiple oval-shaped emeralds making up the rest of the bracelet. Hermione turned the bracelet over to find an inscription in English on the inside:

_To HGM from LAM with much love, May 1999_

After reading it, she turned quickly to Lucius with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes, Hermione," he said quietly, taking her hand to fasten the bracelet on her. "I love you. I suppose I have for awhile now."

"Oh, I love you, too!" Hermione said, beaming. After Lucius had fastened the bracelet, she held up her arm and said, "It's beautiful. I'll be proud to wear it always." She leaned forward into his waiting arms as he took her mouth in a gentle kiss.

As they ended the kiss, they remained close, gazing into one another's eyes for the first time knowing for certain that they loved each other. Lucius reached up a hand and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "You're so beautiful," he murmured. "I'm so glad and lucky that you're mine."

"I'm the lucky one," she said as she ran her hand through his silky blond hair. "Running into you in Flourish and Blotts that day was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Indeed," he agreed.

At that moment, Breezy walked into the library, "Begging Master's and Mistress' pardon," she said, embarrassed at interrupting an intimate moment between them. "But Mistress Hermione has an owl message."

"Thank you, Breezy," Hermione said, smiling at the small elf kindly. After reading the brief note, she told Lucius, "It's from my mother. She wants to know when she and my father should be ready for the graduation tomorrow. I'd told her I'd go by and pick them up and bring them back with side-along apparition, though my father had expressed a desire to drive up here instead."

Before Lucius could respond, the doorbell rang. As they waited for Breezy to answer it, he told Hermione, "I've already taken care of that."

A moment later, Breezy returned. "A Mr Stan Shunpike to see you, Master Lucius," she announced.

"Show him in," Lucius instructed the elf.

After Breezy had ushered the awkward young man into the room, Lucius gave him a tight smile and said, "Mr Shunpike. Right on time, I see."

"Yes, sir, guv'nor," Shunpike said, waiting for Lucius to explain the purpose of the summons.

"I have a job for you," Lucius told him. "I want you to take the limousine and go to the house you drove us to before and pick up Mrs Granger-Malfoy's parents. After you pick them up, bring them to the muggle side entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Signal me with that coin I gave you just before you arrive and we'll meet you there."

After the young wizard left to carry out Lucius' orders, he turned to Hermione and said, "I thought you might like them to come spend the night, so you don't have to rush around in the morning to go apparate them here. I'm already having Breezy to make us all something special for dinner."

"Oh, Lucius, that was so thoughtful," Hermione said, squeezing his hand. "Thank you!"

"I thought they'd feel more comfortable arriving that way," he said. "In my experience, muggles tend not to tolerate apparition all that well. We'll all be portkeying together to Hogsmeade tomorrow, so I thought it important to limit them being exposed to too much magical transport in so short a time." In conclusion, he added, "And I thought you'd enjoy spending a relaxing evening with them tonight."

"You're right," Hermione said. "I don't know why I didn't think of it myself."

"You'd best owl your mother right away and advise her that Mr Shunpike is on the way," Lucius told her. "That should give your parents enough time to get together what they need to bring with them."

"I'll do that right away," she said. "And then I'd better tell Breezy to get the guest bedroom ready."

"Already taken care of, my dear," Lucius said, smiling.

Two hours later, Lucius felt the coin in his pocket vibrate, which signaled the Grangers' imminent arrival.

"Ah, they're here," he told Hermione. "I'll just go down and meet them. There's no need for you to come down." Lucius wanted to save his pregnant consort any unnecessary steps whenever possible.

A couple of moments, later, Lucius stepped out of the muggle exit of the Leaky Cauldron. He'd quickly transfigured into muggle clothing before stepping out and got there just in time to see the limo pull up.

"Kenneth, Jane," Lucius greeted them as they stepped from the car. "Good to see you again. Hermione's waiting upstairs."

He turned to Stan Shunpike and said in a low voice, "Get their luggage and bring it upstairs right away."

"Already taken care of that, sir," Stan replied, patting his pocket. "I reduced it all before leaving the house."

"Very good," Lucius said, taking the reduced luggage from him and placing it in his own pocket. After handing the young man a bag which contained his payment for the day, he turned to lead the Grangers to the Leaky Cauldron entrance.

A few moments later, the three entered the penthouse, where they found Hermione waiting for them in the library.

She hugged both her parents in turn, then asked, "So, how was your trip?"

"It was a surprise to get your owl, as I'd planned to drive," Kenneth Granger told her. "But it was a good surprise as I wasn't really looking forward fighting the traffic getting into London."

"It was a lovely ride," Jane agreed. "I felt like the Queen riding along in a limousine."

"Let me show you to the guest room, then we'll have dinner," Hermione told her mother. "Right this way."

"You'll need this," Lucius said, handing her the reduced luggage. "Kenneth, why don't we have a drink while Jane gets settled. I've got some cognac I know you'll enjoy."

A moment later, Hermione had shown her mother to a room that was noticeably more luxurious than their bedroom at home. "It's a gorgeous room," Jane said surveying her surroundings in detail. "Your father and I will be quite comfortable in here."

After Hermione took her wand and enlarged her parents' luggage, the two women sat on the side of the bed to chat for a few moments before rejoining the men.

"So, how are you feeling?" Jane asked. "Are you still having sneezing fits?" Looking down at her expanding waistline, she added, "I think you're going to have a big baby, as much as you're showing now."

"Not as badly as before," Hermione said. "I'm feeling pretty well, actually. Of course, Lucius doesn't want me doing anything that would cause me any distress. It's really rather amusing -- you'd think he was a first time father. But Narcissa told me that he was the same with her when she was pregnant with Draco."

"Your father was the exact same way with me as well," Jane confided with a laugh. "Speaking of Narcissa, I got an owl from her yesterday, inviting me to your baby shower. I sent my acceptance right away, but I must admit I'm rather nervous, after what you've told me about pureblood society and their typical opinions about non-magical people."

"Narcissa has been perfectly lovely to me," Hermione said. "She's really made an effort. She's not only had to overcome what she was brought up to believe about muggles and muggleborns, she's also had to deal with sharing her husband with another woman. I'd say she really deserves a lot of credit for how well, she's risen to the challenge." Patting her mother's hand, she said, "Don't worry, Mum. I think you'll like Narcissa."

"It's not her so much I'm worried about," Jane said. "It's the ones who aren't family members that worry me."

"Narcissa assured me that no one will be blatantly rude to you at the party," the younger woman said. "She explained that would be a breach of pureblood etiquette and would be considered a personal insult to the hostess." After a moment, she added, "And we'll have our plain old muggle baby shower a week later, and we'll have a grand time then."

"Yes, we will," her mother agreed. "Your grandmother is looking forward to it." Changing the subject, she said, "So, are you excited about tomorrow? I was so proud to hear that you're the top student! Of course, I didn't expect anything else from you."

"Oh, yes," Hermione said. "I got N.E.W.Ts in all but two subjects and they were all Os." Heaving a sigh, she added, "And I'm relieved that I'm not expected to give a speech, but merely say a few words when they call my name."

"Why didn't you get the other two?" Jane asked, curious. "And what subjects were they in?"

"Divination and Care of Magical Creatures," she replied. "I didn't get one in Divination because I think the subject is utter crap. There are true Seers, but they're quite rare. And it's a gift that cannot be taught to those who don't have it. So far as Care of Magical Creatures goes, it's a rather limited topic that I don't expect to use in my life."

Sighing again, she concluded, "And the professors for both subjects weren't really qualified to teach. The Divination professor is a drunken fraud and the Magical Creatures professor hasn't the gift for teaching, even though he knows his subject well. I just thought my time and effort could be better spent concentrating on the other subjects."

"Have you decided yet what you want to do with your education?" her mother asked. "A few years ago, you'd told me you wanted to work at the Ministry. Do you still want to do that?"

"I don't think I'd care for that any longer, what with all the bureaucracy and all," Hermione replied. "Now that I've been freed from having to work to support myself, I've been seriously rethinking what I want to do. I do want to spend a few years with the children I have while they're young, but I'll be studying and researching all that time, so I don't fall behind. With Lucius not having to work, either, our children will have plenty of mother _and_ father." After a long moment, she said, "I think I'd like to be a writer. Perhaps teach at Hogwarts at some point." Smiling at her mother, "I've got plenty of time to do plenty of things. There's no hurry."

"That's right dear," Jane said. "I know you'll be a success at anything you put your mind to. And I know you'll be a wonderful mother!" After giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek, "Now, let's go join the men!"

Several hours later, Lucius and Hermione finally closed their bedroom door behind them after saying good night to her parents.

"Well, I think that went well," Hermione said with a yawn, as she stood undressing by the bed. "I'm exhausted."

"Not too exhausted, I hope," Lucius murmured as he wrapped his arms around her from behind as he kissed her neck.

"I'm never too tired to be held by the man I love," she breathed.

"The woman I love should know that I intend to do more than just _hold_ her," he said with a chuckle. "And I promise that you'll sleep better after I'm done with you."

"I was counting on you to say that," she said with a seductive smile, turning to wrap her arms around his neck as he lowered her to the bed.

--

A/N Pardon my delay in posting. I've been down with a bad cold for several days and I'm behind on my posting and writing schedule. I hope to be back on track soon.  
A/N Over 500 reviews! Thanks, everyone!  
A/N Next Chapter: Introductions


	45. Introductions

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione asked Jane, "Did you sleep well last night? I know it's always harder to sleep when you're not in your own bed."

"I slept fine," Jane assured her daughter. "How about you? You look a little tired."

After exchanging an amused look with Lucius, she replied, "Err, ah, yes, I slept quite well."

Correctly interpreting the glance between her daughter and her de facto son in law, Jane said with a knowing smile, "Ahh, I understand."

Quickly changing the subject as she could see that her father was embarrassed by the allusion to Hermione's sex life with Lucius, Hermione said, "After I get dressed, I'll transfigure both your outfits into robes. Under the section about graduation customs in _Hogwarts, a History_, I learned that it's customary for everyone who attends to wear formal robes. I also checked with Lucius and he assured me that this custom is still very much in force."

Kenneth and Jane looked at one another with puzzled expressions. "Is is all right for a non-magical person to dress in wizard's robes?" Jane asked.

"Quite all right," Lucius assured them. "There is nothing magical about robes themselves; they are just our traditional form of dress. Squibs, who are people born to wizarding parents and who have little or no magic of their own, wear robes just like any full-fledged wizard or witch. It's a cultural thing." After taking a sip of tea, he concluded, "You'll both blend in better with the crowd if you're in robes."

"Don't worry," Hermione assured them. "I'll transfigure something tasteful for you both." Standing up from the table, "Now, I must hurry if I want to be ready in time. I won't be but a few minutes."

Lucius followed Hermione out of the room, while the Grangers went back to their room to change. They'd already showered before breakfast, so it didn't take either of them much time to get ready.

Hermione's outfit was a burgundy gown covered with a black satin robe that had burgundy trim down the sides of the robe and along the hem. To indicate her position as top student, the robe's hood was trimmed with the colors of all four Hogwarts houses. Lucius wore his usual summer weight black dress robes with a black suit underneath, looking stunning as usual.

When they emerged from their bedroom a few minutes later, they found the Grangers waiting in the library, dressed in their muggle best -- Jane in a pale mauve dress and Kenneth in a nondescript, but well-made muggle suit.

"You look lovely, Hermione," Jane said as Hermione entered the library. "The clothing is one thing I've always love about the wizarding world -- the non-magical world looks so drab by comparison."

"Thanks, Mum," she said, smiling. "Now, let me transfigure your clothes into robes. Just stand still and it won't hurt a bit." Hermione waved her wand and her mother's mauve dress turned into mauve dress robes. She turned to her father and did the same thing, with the result being a close match for Lucius' dress robes.

Hermione stood back to survey her work. "Perfect," she said.

At that moment, the fireplace began glowing, which signalled an incoming floo. Hermione's parents, not having seen the floo network in operation, jumped back from the fireplace, startled. A moment later, Draco Malfoy stepped from the fireplace, attending to the residual soot with his wand.

"That's the floo method of travel I told you about," Hermione told her parents in a low voice as Draco collected himself.

"Right on time, I see," Lucius said briskly to his son. "Once Xeno Lovegood shows up, we'll be off."

"Xeno should be here shortly," Draco said, giving his father a quizzical look as he noticed the Grangers in the room.

Understanding Draco's unspoken question, Hermione said, "Draco, these are my parents, Kenneth and Jane Granger." Turning to her parents, she continued, "Mum and Dad, this is Lucius' son, Draco."

Sparing Lucius a quick glance, Draco, swallowed and extended his hand to the Grangers after seeing his father's nod. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Kenneth Granger said, shaking the young man's hand. Turning to Lucius, he said, "That's a fine young man you have, Lucius."

"Thank you," Lucius acknowledged. "My wife and I are quite proud of him."

"You must have looked just like him when you were that age," Jane observed, feeling a bit awkward about the mention of Lucius' wife.

"You're quite right, Jane," Lucius said smoothly. "Remind me some time to show you pictures of myself when I was Draco's age."

The doorbell rang as Lucius spoke and within a minute Breezy appeared in the doorway, followed closely by Xeno Lovegood, who was impossibly dressed in robes that were a neon shade of chartreuse.

Kenneth and Jane exchanged amused glances at the latest arrival, whose appearance was eccentric, even by wizard standards. "Mum and Dad, this is Xenophilius Lovegood," Hermione said. "He's Draco's fiancee's father."

Turning to Xeno, she said,"Mr Lovegood, these are my parents, Kenneth and Jane Granger."

After introductions had been completed, Lucius said, "Now that everyone is here, let's be on our way. We'll be using a Portkey from the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron.

A short time later, the group entered the grubby alley. Lucius led them to one corner where several metal rubbish bins stood. He directed their attention to one bin that stood a bit apart from the other and was missing its lid.

Facing Hermione's parents, he explained, "This rubbish bin is the portkey. I will cast the Portus spell, which will cause the bin to glow blue. Once it does that everyone needs to touch the bin and maintain contact with it, as it will transport everyone to the gates of Hogwarts within a minute of it beginning to show the blue glow. You will feel somewhat as if you are being pulled through space by your navel, but that will last but a moment. There is no danger or need to be concerned."

"We understand," Kenneth said, still apprehensive, despite Lucius' reassurances.

"Excellent," Lucius said briskly. "Now, if everyone will take their places and find a spot to hang on to the bin."

Lucius waited until the group had sorted themselves out and all were making contact with the bin. Once everyone was in the proper position, he pulled his wand, pointed it at the bin, then said. "Portus". He grabbed the bin with one hand as he put his wand away with the other.

Less than a minute later, the portkey took effect and everyone was transported in an instant to the gates of Hogwarts.

As soon as they arrived, Hermione turned to check on her parents, who both looked distinctly queasy. "Are you all right?" she asked them quietly. After the both nodded, she pulled a chocolate bar out of her robe pocket and split it in two, handing them each half. "Here, eat this and it will make you feel better."

The group had landed in a field near the back entrance of the school, where several other people attending the graduation were appearing, either by portkey or apparition. Some people turned to stare at the party, but most people in the wizarding world had by now grown used to the idea of Harry Potter's right-hand woman being the consort of Voldemort's previous right-hand man. It was old news.

"Draco!" The young wizard turned to find Luna hurrying toward him through the back gates of the school. She was clad in a robe matching Hermione's, except that hers was edged in blue for Ravenclaw. Her robe hood was also edged in blue, as Luna was the top Ravenclaw student.

He opened his arms as she ran into his embrace and he hugged her in delight, after giving her a kiss.

Hermione and Lucius exchanged a satisfied glance as they watched they newly engaged couple's enthusiastic greeting, knowing they'd played a part in bringing the happy couple together.

After Hermione introduced Luna to her parents, the group entered the school grounds, strolling casually in the direction of the entrance closest to the Great Hall where the graduation was to be held.

As the group passed the Hogwarts cemetery, Hermione noticed the entire Weasley family gathered around two graves close to the back of the small graveyard. Hermione inhaled sharply, knowing they were visiting Ron and Fred before the graduation started. She'd not visited Ron's grave since he'd been buried, and now she felt a pricking of guilt for never having done so.

Lucius, who was walking beside her holding her hand, felt her hesitate for a moment. He followed her gaze and accurately guessed what was passing through her mind. Squeezing her hand, he murmured, "Don't. Leave them to their grief."

Hermione turned to Lucius, never failing to be amazed at how good he was at discerning her trains of thought. "You're right," she whispered. "But I've never visited the grave since the funeral."

"If you like, you can come up here some other time to visit if you need closure," he replied. "But now isn't the right time. It's time to look forward, not back."

Resolutely turning away from the Weasleys, she squeezed Lucius' hand in return, assuring him that she was all right.

Once they'd stepped inside the building, Hermione said, "Well, I'll see all of you later on. The ceremony should be starting soon and Luna and I need to get to our seats." She gave her parents a smile, then gave Lucius a quick kiss as Luna did the same with Draco, before they both hurried down the corridor to the back entrance to the Great Hall.

--  
A/N Thanks once again to all my readers and reviewers. I don't think the story would have been this long had it not been for all of you.  
A/N Next Chapter Graduation


	46. Graduation

Lucius turned to the Grangers and said, "We should go inside now if we want to find a good seat." Noticing that Hermione's parents had been somewhat distracted, looking all around the old castle in wonder, considering that they'd never been there before, he added, "We'll have plenty of time to take a tour after the ceremony, if you'd like."

They entered the Great Hall a moment later to find that the house tables had been replaced by auditorium seating. The professors' table had been replaced by seats for the graduates facing the audience and were located on a dais behind a single podium. The hall was half-filled with people as Lucius led the group to a row of seats near the front in the middle section of seats, closest to the podium. He allowed to the others to precede him into the row of seats, reserving the aisle seat for himself.

Within the next few minutes, the hall quickly filled up. The Weasleys were among the last people to enter the room, and few seats still remained available. They saw single seats here and there, but were having trouble finding enough available seats in the same spot where everyone could sit together.

Finally, Percy spotted a block of seats near the front, on the right side of the hall. "Here's some seats!" he said, pointing. Everyone quickly moved to where Percy had pointed, not noticing that the seats were directly across the aisle from Lucius Malfoy and his party.

Molly and Arthur brought up the rear and as they were about to seat themselves in the last two seats next to the aisle, Molly suddenly spotted Lucius, who'd not noticed them and was chatting quietly with Kenneth Granger, his head turned away from them.

"Arthur!" she called out loudly. "Let's sit somewhere else! I won't sit by that man!" She pointed at Lucius, to emphasize her words.

Arthur sighed loudly. He didn't like Lucius Malfoy any better than Molly did, but now was not the time nor the place to air her opinion of the haughty wizard.

He leaned down and spoke quietly to her. "Molly, there's nowhere else for us all to sit together. Malfoy wasn't even paying attention to us until you called attention to yourself." Arthur spared a glance in Malfoy's direction, where the haughty wizard was now staring at them, his lip curled in scorn. Malfoy was otherwise silent, but watched intently to see how this little drama would play out.

Arthur, now desperate to keep Molly from instigating a confrontation with Malfoy, quickly motioned for his sons to come back out into the aisle. Once they'd done so, he said, "Molly, you go in first, and the rest of us will sit between you and Malfoy. Percy, you sit on the end, as you're the diplomat of the family."

After the Weasleys has re-situated themselves, Kenneth remarked to Lucius, "I'm beginning to be very glad that Hermione didn't end up being married into that family."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed with a low chuckle.

At that moment, Minerva McGonagall walked up to the podium. "Attention, please," she said, rapping the podium twice. "We will be starting momentarily." As if to emphasize her words, the graduates slowly filed into the room from the rear entrance to the hall and took their seats.

Once everyone was seated, McGonagall said, "I am happy and pleased to welcome you to the graduation ceremonies for the 1999 class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" After a short round of applause, she continued, "I am honoured to introduce this year's commencement speaker, Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt."

The regal wizard stepped up to the podium amidst another round of applause. Looking out at the crowd, "One year ago, this hall stood heavily damaged and many good people lay dead within this castle defending it against Lord Voldemort and his minions. Though the battle was won, the human losses and the damage to the school were so severe that there was a question of whether or not Hogwarts would re-open again in the fall. Many wondered if the divisions within the wizarding world could ever be healed and people despaired of there ever again being a united wizarding society."

"The fact that I stand here before you today, ready to introduce yet another Hogwarts graduating class, is a testament to the resiliency of our community," Shacklebolt continued. "Though there is still much to be done to restore our school and community, great strides have already been made. Because of volunteers working tirelessly throughout the last year and generous contributions that have come from prominent wizards, the repairs to Hogwarts are largely complete.

Shacklebolt had looked directly at Lucius when mentioning the "generous contributions" to the building fund, to which Lucius had nodded in acknowledgement. "Also, a new scholarship had just been established by the Malfoy Foundation," Kingsley added. "The Charity Burbage Scholarship will sponsor one deserving muggleborn student each year in honor of the former Muggle Studies professor to remind us of her belief in a united magical society, a belief that she gave her life for."

Hermione, sitting on stage with the other graduates, had only been halfway paying attention to the droning Kingsley Shacklebolt until this point. At the mention of the scholarship and the fact that Lucius had initiated it, she snapped to attention in delighted surprise. Her eyes traveled to where Lucius was sitting, her beaming expression conveying her gratitude to him. He acknowledged her with a broad smile of his own, silently mouthing the word, _"surprise!"_ to her.

"Through the new consort law, progress has also been made in bridging the differences between the two factions of the last war and re-creating a united wizarding community," the Minister said. "Our first consort couple, Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger-Malfoy, who were both prominent on either side during the war, are now expecting their first child in September. Since their bonding, four more couples have entered into consort relationships and six more are pending."

Shacklebolt had indicated Lucius and Hermione in turn as he spoke, but this announcement was greeted only with a smattering of applause. The Weasleys, in particular, sat with stony, frowning faces as the Minister of Magic publicly commended the Malfoys.

Moving along, Shacklebolt, added, "I'm also happy to announce that several marriages have taken place in the last year and I hope you'll all join me in congratulating Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, who are also expecting their first child in September, on their upcoming wedding next week, and also Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood, who will marry in July."

"I have great hopes for the future of the wizarding world and the Hogwarts class of 1999 which I now present to you, will be at the forefront of creating that new, bright future," he concluded. Turning to McGonagall, he said, "Now, Headmistress McGonagall, if you will kindly read out the names, let's get this graduation under way."

"Thank you, Kingsley," she said as she traded places with him at the podium. "I am pleased to agree that we all have much to look forward to in the future." Smiling at the friends and families gathered in front of her, she said, "And now, for what you've all been waiting for." Turning to face the graduating students, she said, "I present you with the 1999 graduating class of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

After the thunderous applause had died down, the elderly witch continued, "We will begin with a few words from our top honors student, Hermione Granger-Malfoy, who achieved all Os in the nine N.E.W.Ts she earned."

Applause greeted Hermione as she stood and made her way to the podium, her pregnancy obvious, even while wearing robes. As she took her place at the podium, she spared a smile for Lucius and her parents before beginning to speak.

"Thank you, Headmistress McGonagall," she said with a tight smile. Turning to face the audience, she began, "Ten years ago, I would never imagined I would be standing before all of you today. I was a muggle girl who believed that magic belonged in the realm of fantasy fiction, though I never quite fit into the muggle world since my earliest recollections."

"At eleven, I learned the reason why I could never fit comfortably into the muggle world; I was a witch! In the eight years since, I've discovered who I really am and where I truly belong. Many people along this journey have helped me to be where I stand today."

Turning to her parents, her smile wide now, she continued, "First of all, I'd like to thank my parents, Kenneth and Jane Granger. Without their love and open minds, I'd still be a misfit in the muggle world. Though they are not magical themselves, they were willing to believe that the magical world exists and allowed me to enter into that world in order to pursue my dreams. Thanks Mum and Dad!"

Pausing a moment, she continued, "I'd also like to thank Harry Potter, who was my first and best friend in the wizarding world. Both of us had been raised as muggles, so it was a learning experience for both of us, and being able to depend on one another made it that much easier. Thank you, Harry, for being the brother I never had."

Taking a deep breath, she said hesitantly. "I'd also like to thank the Weasley family for showing me the ways of everyday magical living and welcoming me into their lives when I first entered into the wizarding world and was overwhelmed by it all."

Lucius smiled tightly at her last words. It seemed as if he coached her well -- one could always afford to be magnanimous from a position of power; you killed them with kindness. Any negative reaction from the Weasleys at this point could only reflect badly on them. He spared a glance at the family in question and was amused to witness their obvious discomfort.

"Next, I'd like to thank my professors at Hogwarts, all of whom challenged me and inspired me to grow as both a person and a scholar," she went on. Turning to where the professors sat, she smiled and said, "Thank you all."

Turning to Lucius, she said, "Finally, I'd like to thank my consort, Lucius Malfoy, who will stand by my side as I start my journey into raising magical children of my own. He has also given me support and encouragement for all other endeavours that I hope to undertake in the future. Lucius, above all others, has given me confidence that a united magical society is not only possible, but that it is already coming true. Our bond is an example of that truth." She paused, then turned to him and said, "I love you, Lucius."

Lucius preened under her public praise, silently mouthing the words, "_I love you, too_" back at her.

Not waiting for the audience's reaction, she plunged ahead. "In conclusion, I'd like to challenge my fellow graduates to use their talents, whatever they may be, to sustain our community and to help it grow. Best of luck to you all!"

She stepped away from the platform, turning to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who shook her hand, then handed her her diploma, amidst enthusiastic applause.

--  
Thanks to all my reviewers and readers. Your responses to each chapter makes my day!  
Next chapter: Hermione's Baby Shower


	47. Hermione's Baby Shower

Three days later, Hermione awakened earlier than her usual rising time. Lucius was still asleep, snoring softly as she came slowly into full consciousness. She slipped carefully out of bed without awakening him; they'd been up late last night and she wanted to let him get more rest.

Today was the day of her shower at Malfoy Manor and Hermione felt somewhat apprehensive. She was glad she now felt comfortable with Narcissa when Lucius wasn't around, but she still had doubts about how some of the guests that Narcissa had invited would react to her. Narcissa had assured her that no one would be overtly rude to her, but Hermione knew that people had a way of expressing hostility to others without it being obvious to everyone in the room.

Her Mum had been staying at the penthouse since graduation, as her graduation and baby shower were so close together, so they took the opportunity for an extended time to catch up on things and to cement their relationship as two grown women. Her Dad had gone home to their dental practice and Lucius had spent two nights with Narcissa, only returning to the penthouse the night before, so the two women had had the penthouse to themselves for the past two days.

Hermione hurried in the shower, as she knew her mother was an early riser and didn't want to keep her waiting. Yawning a few minutes later as she entered the breakfast room, she found her mother already at the table with a cup of tea, as Breezy served breakfast to her.

"Good morning, Mum," Hermione said, still yawning. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

"I haven't been up all that long," Jane Granger said. "But I was fine. You should have slept longer -- once the baby comes, you'll won't get the chance to sleep in." Turning to Breezy, she continued, "And Breezy has been taking very good care of me. I was going to make my own tea and breakfast, but she wouldn't hear of it."

"Cooking is Breezy's job," the elf said firmly. "It makes me happy to wait on Mistress Jane."

"Is Lucius sleeping late?" Jane asked.

"I decided to let him sleep," Hermione replied. "We were up rather late and I couldn't bear to wake him when I saw how peacefully he was sleeping."

As if to make a liar out of Hermione, Lucius appeared in the doorway a moment later, clad in a dressing gown, which was Slytherin green silk monogrammed with a large, silver M on the breast pocket. His sleek blond hair was mussed from sleep, but he still managed to look like a million galleons, nonetheless.

"Lucius!" Hermione said. "I thought you were going to sleep in. I tried not to wake you."

"That's perfectly all right, my dear," he said, bending to give her a kiss before taking the seat next to her. "I certainly couldn't pass up breakfast with two such lovely ladies."

After Breezy had served Hermione and Lucius, Jane asked, "So, Lucius, will you be coming to the shower with us today?"

"No, I thought I'd leave you ladies to have a good time without any men underfoot," he replied. "Draco and I will be going to see the Tutshill Tornadoes play the Chudley Cannons today." After a moment of thought, Lucius asked her, "Kenneth has always seemed quite interested in Quidditch when I've mentioned it to him. Do you think he might like to go with us today? Draco has also invited Xeno Lovegood to come along."

"I don't know," Jane said. "I can owl him and find out."

Lucius called for Breezy, who brought him a quill and parchment, on which he hastily scribbled an invitation to Hermione's father, telling him he'd apparate over to pick him up if he wanted to go. The elf took the parchment from Lucius when he was finished and hurried off to give it to the family owl.

"We'll know shortly," Lucius said. "Now, let's enjoy our breakfast."

Within twenty minutes, Breezy returned with Kenneth's reply. After glancing briefly at the note, Lucius turned to the women and said, "He's accepted. He wants to see what all the fuss is about Quidditch."

Hermione looked at Lucius with a smile. She knew that a year ago, Lucius would never have consented to be seen socializing with a muggle in public. The young woman was proud of far he'd come in such a short time.

Shortly after breakfast, Lucius left for Malfoy Manor to pick up Draco. Xeno would meet them there, then all three would apparate to the Granger home where Lucius would create another Portkey to take them all to the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione and her mother puttered around the penthouse for several hours, taking their time to get ready for the shower. She'd bought a beautiful silk maternity robe in deep purple for the shower and had bought a similar looking robe for her mother in royal blue.

At two, they were finally ready to go.

"We're going to floo to Malfoy Manor," Hermione explained to her mother as they stood in front of the library fireplace.

Noting her mother's apprehension, she added, "It's not any more difficult or unpleasant than portkeying. She gestured to the fireplace with one hand and her mother stepped inside gingerly. Hermione quickly joined her, then grabbed a handful of floo powder from a nearby receptacle. She took her mother's hand, then threw the powder with the other hand. "Malfoy Manor!" she called out clearly.

A moment later, they stepped out of the fireplace at their destination. Hermione pointed her wand at her mother and then at herself to clean the dust from their robes, "Tergeo!".

As the women straightened their robes, Snappy apparated into the room. "Mistress Narcissa told me to tell you that she will be downstairs soon and that you should have some tea while you wait," the elf said, indicating a pot of tea that stood nearby on a table.

Jane Granger looked around the large, sumptuously appointed library after Snappy had disapparated from the room. The muggle woman had not ever seen so many books in a private home before; she estimated that Lucius Malfoy probably owned more books than the public libraries of many small towns did. She suddenly understood that it wasn't just his handsome good looks that had attracted her daughter to this man.

While Hermione poured them each a cup of tea, Jane stood looking out the French doors that overlooked the elegantly landscaped yard. If she hadn't known where she was, she could have easily believed that she was at one of the Queen's residences.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Narcissa Malfoy made her entrance a few moments later. The elegant blond witch was dressed in a Slytherin green trained velvet gown with black lace trim in a vaguely Victorian style.

"Please forgive me for not meeting you personally when you arrived," Narcissa apologized. "I overslept this morning and I've been in kind of a rush ever since getting ready." Noticing Jane still standing by the French doors, she walked over to introduce herself. "You must be Hermione's mother," Narcissa said, extending one slim hand to the muggle woman. "I'm Lucius' wife, Narcissa Malfoy."

"Jane Granger," Jane replied, taking the other woman's hand to shake, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "It's very nice to meet you. Hermione speaks highly of you."

"Lucius also speaks highly of you and your husband," Narcissa replied. "I'm very pleased to finally meet you and hope to meet Hermione's father some time soon."

With the introductions out of the way, Narcissa told them, "Because it's such a nice day, we'll be having the party on the garden terrace. Everything is ready; the elves finished setting up just a short time ago. Luna is already here and your other guests should be arriving within a half hour. Why don't we take our tea on the terrace while we wait for them to arrive?"

The three women entered the terrace a few moments later, where they found Luna engaged in an earnest conversation with female house elf named Lacey, asking her what was the best way to de-infest a home of Nargles.

"Hello, Luna," Hermione said as she took a seat by the younger witch. "You look pretty today." She thought that Narcissa had to have taken Luna in hand to teach her about fashion, as she was dressed tastefully in periwinkle blue robes that complemented her eyes, with matching iolite earrings and bracelet.

As the two younger women chatted, Narcissa turned to Jane and said, "Hermione tells us that you and your husband are both dentists."

"That's right," Jane replied. "I actually met Kenneth when we were both in dentistry school." After a pause, she said, "I'd be curious to know what dentistry is like in the wizarding world. If you don't mind me saying so, I've noticed that both you and Lucius have beautiful teeth."

"Thank you," Narcissa said smiling. "Dentistry isn't a specialized profession in the wizarding world, as far as I know. Our healers are generalists and most healers are qualified to handle any common problem with the human body."

"Are your toothbrushes magically enhanced," she asked, curious. Jane had never thought to ask Hermione these questions, as she'd continued caring for her teeth in the muggle way and had continued to allow her parents to attend to her dental care.

"That's right," Narcissa affirmed. "They are charmed with either the _Scourgify_ or _Tergeo_ spells, which are also used for other types of cleaning, so I'm told." As a privileged pureblood matron, Narcissa had never personally done any housework, but had remembered the multiple uses of these spells from her Charms classes at Hogwarts.

At that moment, the group faintly heard multiple pops of apparition coming from just beyond the gates that were visible in the distance.

"It seems as if our guests have arrived," Narcissa said, rising the greet the group of young women now making their way up the garden path. Hermione stood awkwardly and moved to follow the older witch.

Walking toward the arriving guests, Hermione was disappointed, but not surprised to see that none of her Gryffindor housemates had shown up for the shower. But she wasn't going to focus on what she didn't have. Narcissa had taken the trouble to throw her a nice party, her mum was here by her side, and several young woman from the other three houses had accepted the invitation to attend.

As well as Luna, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Cho Chang, Penelope Clearwater, and Fleur Weasley had shown up. Hermione was stunned, but pleased, to see that four Slytherin girls had also decided to attend: Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, and her younger sister Asteria.

"Thank you all for coming," Hermione said with a smile as the group stepped onto the terrace and each placed their gift on a waiting table. "It means a lot to me."

After everyone had seated themselves, Narcissa gave a discreet signal to Snappy to begin serving the refreshments. After Hermione's mother had been introduced, some of the witches scrutinized Jane closely, as they'd never met a real muggle before, but, as Narcissa had predicted, none made any rude comments. Within moments, everyone had been served, and soon were chatting amiably,talking about who was getting married, entering into consort relationships, who had recently gotten new jobs, and who was pregnant. Hermione opened gifts all the while as everyone ate and conversed.

"Neville and I got engaged two weeks ago," Hannah Abbott told the group proudly, as she held up her left hand to show off a dainty amethyst filigree ring in rose gold, which was a Longbottom faimily heirloom.

"Congratulations," Hermione said warmly. "Neville's a great catch."

"He's also been given an Herbology apprenticeship at Hogwarts," she continued. "Professor Sprout wants to retire within five years and Neville is being groomed to take over the job then!"

"I've accepted Edward Scrivenshaft's proposal to be his consort," Cho Chang mentioned quietly. "I'm also going to manage a new branch of his quill and stationery shop in Diagon Alley."

"Good for you!" Hermione said with an encouraging smile.

"I've been given an apprenticeship to be the next Hogwarts librarian," Penelope announced. "Irma Pince and Argus Filch are finally getting married after all these years and she'd decided to retire, too."

Everyone chuckled at the the thought of the two crabby people getting married; everyone agreeing that the two were made for one another.

Because Lucius would be buying everything practical that the baby would need, the gifts were mainly sentimental remembrances. Narcissa had given her a platinum baby brush and comb set with the Malfoy crest embrossed into the brush handle and the baby's initials on both pieces. Luna had given her a beautiful pink baby book with Lucinda's name already on the cover. It had all the usual spaces to enter information about the baby's development, but also had pages to record milestones in the baby's magical development. The book also had Lucinda's complete genealogy recorded in the front of the book, which Hermione assumed was a standard feature in the baby books of purebloods. Cho had given her a special set of quills and ink to use when writing in the baby book, with Penelope giving her a book on magical childcare. Hannah had given her a pocket baby monitor, which was a small mirror that would show the interior of the baby's room and would vibrate if Lucinda needed attention. Tracey Davis had given her a supply of self cleaning diapers and the Greengrass sisters had given a set of formal baby robes. Millicent had given a matching set of gold baby birthstone jewelry in September sapphire; a ring, necklace, and bracelet, all charmed to be safe and swallow-proof.

"Greg proposed last night," Millicent said to Hermione some time later as she helped Hermione reduce all the gifts to transport back to the penthouse. After all the presents had been opened, most of the guests had startled to mingle on the Manor grounds, enjoying the beautiful garden. Millicent had felt awkward and said little as the presents were being opened; she generally felt more confident in one on one conversations. As Hannah had done about an hour before, she now held up a substantial looking carved gold band with a square cut emerald that suited her large frame.

"That's wonderful," Hermione said, turning to give the Slytherin girl a genuine smile. "I hope you'll both be very happy together." Looking at the ring, she commented, "That's a beautiful ring -- it looks perfect on your hand."

"I actually got to design it myself," Millicent confessed. "The stone had been in Greg's family for centuries, set into a pendant, but I designed and made the band that it's set in."

"You're really talented, Millicent!" Hermione said sincerely.

"You can call me Millie," she said.

"Millie," Hermione said.

"I learned how to make jewelry from my Mum," she explained, moving along. "She's designed quite a few pieces for several witches." Now feeling confident knowing she had Hermione's sincere interest, she continued, "Greg and I are planning to open our own jewelry shop in Diagon Alley. I'll do all the designing and I'll help Greg with actual crafting of each piece. He's no good at design, but he'd turned out to have a knack for turning my designs into beautiful jewelry." After a pause, she added, "Mr Malfoy gave us the money to get started. It would have taken us years to do it without his help.

"That's great!" Hermione said with enthusiasm, feeling quite proud of her consort helping two young people who likely would have been Death Eaters, to make a positive start in another direction. "I look forward to see what you make."

"I've got a confession to make," Millie said with a little grin. "Mr Malfoy commissioned me to make your new platinum and emerald rune bracelet. He gave me a general idea of what he wanted, then I designed and crafted it myself."

"Oh, how lovely," Hermione said. "You've got a true gift, Millie!"

Millie blushed under Hermione's praise, suddenly feeling sorry that she'd not taken the time to get to know her when they were at Hogwarts. In just these few minutes, Hermione had been nicer to her than Pansy had ever been during their time at school.

Hermione thought to herself how fortunate Millie was that her mother had the skill for jewelry design and crafting, as the Slytherin girl would have never been given the opportunity to learn such an art at Hogwarts. She decided to speak to Lucius later about pushing for an arts curriculum, along with the other plans he had for improving Hogwarts.

Now that most of the guests had left, Hermione said to Millie, "Why don't you help me floo these gifts back to the penthouse, then you and I can have a nice cup of tea and talk some more?"

"I'd like that," Millie said, glad to have made a new friend.

--  
A/N Thanks once again to all my readers and reviewers  
A/N Two new blog entries: New Wand and Pictures From Hermione's Baby Shower. My blog can be accessed through my profile page.  
A/N Next Chapter: Lucius Plans For the Future


	48. Lucius Plans For the Future

CHAPTER 48 Lucius Plans for the Future

Later that night, Hermione crawled into bed alone. Lucius had not yet returned from the Quidditch match and she wondered what was keeping him. She was sure that he'd said he'd be sleeping there tonight and not at Malfoy Manor, but she wasn't about to owl Narcissa to find out. Hermione had waited up for him long after Millicent and her mother had returned to their respective homes, but the need for rest finally won out.

She'd not been in bed more than fifteen minutes when Lucius quietly stepped into the room. Hermione heard him whisper an undressing charm, then felt him slip carefully into bed with her, not wanting to wake her.

"Lucius," she said, rolling over to face him.

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Never mind that," she said. "Where were you? I was worried about you."

"It couldn't be helped," Lucius said. "I'd intended to be back hours ago, but it seems as if your father had too good of a time. Draco had brought along a self-replenishing flask of firewhiskey and as the match progressed, he passed it around repeatedly. Neither he nor I considered what kind of an effect firewhiskey would have on muggles."

"Oh, no," Hermione moaned. "I take it he got very drunk?"

"That's putting it mildly, to say the least," he drawled. "Near the end, he was trying to find a broom to fly on."

"That's terrible," she said, frowning in disapproval. "What did you do?"

"We took him back to Malfoy Manor for some sobering potion," he replied. "The only problem was that the standard one most wizards use only made him drunker."

Hermione did not comment, waiting for him to finish the story.

"Draco, Xeno, and I tore through several potions books to find a sobering potion that would work on muggles," he continued. "This was one time I really missed having Severus around. He would have probably been able to produce one for us instantaneously."

Heaving a sigh, he added, "We finally found one, but it would take a week of maturing after brewing before it would be usable. I finally had to send Draco to an apothecary to get some that was already made. Fortunately, they had some in stock, and your father sobered up pretty much once we got him to drink it. We apparated him home then and I have to admit your mother was more than a little miffed with me about it."

"I can well imagine," Hermione remarked, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry it turned out that way," Lucius said. "I suppose it should have occurred to me that muggles might not be able to tolerate firewhiskey as well as magical people do. But he did enjoy himself otherwise, though I doubt he'll want to do it again."

"All's well that ends well, I suppose," Hermione conceded.

Taking Hermione into his arms, he murmured, "Now that you're awake..."

"Oh, Lucius, you're insatiable," she purred as he rolled her onto her back.

The next morning at breakfast, Lucius asked, "So, how did the shower go? I never did get around to asking you about it last night."

"Surprisingly, well, actually," Hermione said. "Of course there wasn't anyone there from Gryffindor, but I had guests from the other three houses, including four Slytherin girls. To be honest, it touched me that people from Slytherin, who are supposed to hate all Gryffindors, were more considerate and thoughtful than people from my own house. It made me ashamed that I'd believed all the nonsense I was told about Slytherin and never gave anyone there a chance to be my friend when I was in school."

"Surrounded by the Weasleys since your very first day of Hogwarts, I wouldn't have expected any different," Lucius observed. "But, to be fair, if you were not my consort, I doubt they would have ever considered being friendly with a Gryffindor, either."

"Millicent Bulstrode, in particular, went out of her way to be friendly," Hermione told him. "I invited her here after the shower to have tea and get better acquainted. I never realized what a creative person she is." Taking Lucius' hand and squeezing it, she added, "And I think it's wonderful that you are helping her and Greg Goyle to start their own jewelry store!"

"I've taken an interest in the welfare of recent Slytherin graduates, especially those who are the children of the Dark Lord's former followers," he said. "Most of these young people, especially the boys, were expected to follow in their parents' footsteps and take the Dark Mark when they came of age. For the most part, they were not given any encouragement or guidance to follow any path different from this."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "If these young adults are not given guidance and other assistance to help them find a positive direction for their lives, they'll be ripe pickings for the next Dark Lord who comes along. The Ministry hasn't yet seen fit to address this problem, so I'm doing what I can to mentor them. If I don't look out for the Slytherins, who will?"

"You've got a point," Hermione said. "It seems as if people assume those from the other three houses are on the Light side until proven different, but many people think Slytherins are automatically dark unless they go out of their way to show otherwise, like Andromeda Tonks and Professor Slughorn. Millicent told me that sometimes it's just easier to give in and be what people already think you are, anyway."

"You'll find that this is a common attitude among Slytherins," Lucius told her. "And that's why Slytherins, and not Hufflepuffs, are really the most loyal of the four houses. Slytherins have learned to stick together out of sheer necessity."

"I've never really thought about it that way before," Hermione said. "But it makes sense."

"And this guidance has to start before Slytherin students become adults," Lucius said. "This is another reason why I'm so eager to regain my seat on the Hogwarts Board of Governors. As well as getting Slughorn appointed as Headmaster where he'll combat stereotypes and make sure Slytherins are treated fairly, I think that helping recent Slytherin graduates start successful lives on the Light side will inspire Slytherin students. I want to make sure that the next generation of Slytherin house doesn't give in to the negative stereotypes out of sheer frustration."

"How are the Governors chosen?" Hermione asked. "An election?"

"No," Lucius said. "The Minister of Magic appoints them. Those interested in the position submit an application in order to be considered for the post. As I've said before, two retired as this past school year ended and I presume Shacklebolt will make his choice some time during the summer."

"I think they should have an equal number of governors from all four houses," Hermione said. "That would only be fair."

"You would think they'd make that a requirement," Lucius observed. "But it's never worked out that way. It's been dominated by Gryffindors and, to a lesser extent, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws for years. Slytherin governors have been much more rare -- during my previous term as governor, I'd been the first Slytherin governor since the 1930s."

After taking a sip of tea, he continued, "I've already asked Andromeda to consider applying with me for the positions. I told her pretty much what I told you, plus I gave her a written list of the reasons she should consider it. She promised to get back to me with her decision soon, so I invited her here for lunch today to do just that."

"I'm eager to hear her decision," Hermione said. "Because she has family ties to both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff in addition to being a Slytherin herself, she should have an easier time gaining everyone's respect as a governor."

"Easier than I will, you mean," Lucius said dryly.

Hermione hesitated for a moment, then said slowly, "Yes, that's what I mean. Most of the wizarding world doesn't know you like I do, and if the Weasleys' attitude toward you is any indication, you'll have a harder time proving yourself than she will. It's not right and it's not fair, but I'm guessing that's the way it will be."

"You're right," Lucius acknowledged calmly. "That's why it's essential for Andromeda to be appointed along with me. I am under no illusion that it will take time to completely repair my reputation."

"I think you've got a good chance of being appointed," Hermione said. "Kingsley Shacklebolt has an open mind and has given every indication that he's willing to give you another chance."

"That's what I'm counting on," Lucius said.

A few hours later, Andromeda Tonks, along with her grandson Teddy, arrived by floo at the penthouse.

"Oh, he's gotten so big!" Hermione said after Andromeda stepped out of the fireplace and placed the little boy on the rug.

"He's a little over a year old now," Andromeda said. "And growing like a weed!" As she watched Teddy's hair shift from blue to purple, she said in a wistful tone, "The older he gets, the more he reminds me of Dora at that age and it makes me miss her all the more." Wiping back a tear, she squared her shoulders and said, "Enough about that. Dora wouldn't want me to go around moping about her when I've got a beautiful grandson to raise!"

Lucius gave her an encouraging smile. "All too true," he said. "That young man will keep you too busy for the next twenty years or so to allow you much time for brooding."

"Just imagine, he'll be going to Hogwarts with our Lucinda," Hermione mused. "But that's far off into the future..."

"It will get here sooner than you think," Andromeda said, "You'll find that the older you get, the faster time goes by." Looking at Lucius, she gave him a mischievous smile and said, "It seems like only yesterday that you were a skinny little firstie with knobby knees."

Hermione laughed as she tried to imagine Lucius as an awkward eleven year old, and found it almost impossible to do.

A few minutes later, as the three sat around the table, Lucius got to the point of Andromeda's visit. "Now, then," he said briskly. "Have you made a decision about the governor's position?"

"Yes, I have," she affirmed. "I've decided to do it. Your ideas have a lot of merit and I'll be honored to do my part to improve Hogwarts."

"Excellent," Lucius said, smiling broadly. "If you like, we can go down and file our applications this week."

"I look forward to it," his sister in law replied. "After all, Teddy may well be sorted into Slytherin and I want to make sure he'll be treated fairly."

"We'll go on tomorrow, then," Lucius said, considering the matter settled.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my faithful readers  
A/N Note to American readers -- Don't forget to VOTE tomorrow!  
A/N Next Chapter: Applications and Newspaper Articles


	49. Applications and Newspaper Articles

CHAPTER 49 Applications and Newspaper Articles

Early the next morning, Lucius and Andromeda went down to the Ministry of Magic to register their applications for the two open slots on the Hogwarts Governors' board. After filing the paperwork with a minimum of fuss, Lucius arrived back home just as Hermione was getting out of bed.

Shortly after flooing back to the penthouse, he met Hermione as she came out of their bedroom, still yawning and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"It seems as if I timed things just right," Lucius observed with the hint of a smile and he bent to kiss Hermione in the hall between the library and their bedroom.

"How did it go down at the Ministry?" Hermione asked, yawning again, absently scratching her pregnant belly.

"It was actually quite simple," Lucius said as they both headed to the breakfast room. "It took us less than five minutes to fill out the forms and we were able to get it done without anyone seeing us but the office clerk. And she promised to pass the applications on to Kingsley Shacklebolt as soon as he arrived in his office."

"I wonder how many others have applied?" Hermione asked.

"None yet that I know of," Lucius told her. "I'd asked Mafalda Hopkirk last week to check on that for me and as of last Wednesday, there had been no applications. I imagine most people are just glad that Hogwarts is up and running again to worry overmuch about how things are run down there. I would think that they're just glad to get back to living normal lives now that the Dark Lord is gone. They probably don't give the running of Hogwarts any thought at all."

"Well, that should make it easier," Hermione said. After a moment, she said, "I'm famished."

"You're eating for two, so I expect that you are," Lucius said, smiling indulgently at her."

At that moment, Breezy entered the room levitating a loaded serving tray in front of her.

"Perfect timing, Breezy," Lucius told the elf, in a rare bit of praise. Hermione had been subtly teaching him to be more considerate of the elves, but one didn't unlearn the habits of a lifetime overnight.

"I aims to please, Master Lucius," the elf said, happy that her efforts were appreciated. She quickly served the couple, they disappeared back into the kitchen.

The elf returned less than five minutes later, bearing that day's _Daily Prophet_, which she handed to Lucius before disappearing once again.

He spread the paper out in front of him on the table, scanning the headlines. "Ah, there it is," he murmured, leaning closer to read the article in question.

"There what is?" Hermione asked, perplexed.

"This," he said, pointing to a headline:

_**Lucius Malfoy - One Year Later: Looking Toward the Future**_

_**by Norbert Terwilliger**_

_Nearly a year ago, the Wizengamot chose to give former Death Eater Lucius Malfoy a second chance by acquitting him of all charges brought against him as a member of Lord Voldemort's inner circle. This decision was made in light of the crucial help the Malfoy family gave the Order of the Phoenix during the last year of the war._

_Now, a year later, the Daily Prophet took a look at what Mr Malfoy has done so far with the freedom he was given. From what we found, the Daily Prophet believes that the Wizengamot made the right decision, as Mr Malfoy has apparently left the past behind and is looking toward a positive future._

_As he has been for many years, Mr Malfoy remains the principal philanthropist of the British wizarding world. The speedy rebuilding of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was made possible in large part by Mr Malfoy's generous donations. Similarly, most of the improvements made at St. Mungo's in the last twenty years have been made because of the Malfoy Foundation._

_Earlier this year Mr Malfoy and his wife, Narcissa Malfoy, founded an orphanage for children who lost their parents in the war. As well as placing several children in new adoptive families, the orphanage provides a home and education for orphaned children of pre-Hogwarts age. The orphanage also has given employment to Reg and Mary Cattermole, who were displaced from their previous employment during the last year of the war._

_Mr Malfoy has also given several others assistance in making new starts since the end of the war. As an example, he has employed Stan Shunpike as his personal chauffeur when traveling by muggle automobile, after he learned that the young man was unable to regain his former employment as conductor of the Knight Bus._

_Diagon Alley will see the return of one old business and the start of one new business, thanks to Mr Malfoy. With his backing, Xenophilius Lovegood will soon be providing the Daily Prophet with healthy competition once again when he restarts the Quibbler later this summer. Mr Malfoy has also loaned Mr Lovegood the funds to rebuild his family home, which was destroyed in the last days of the war. Mr Malfoy also generously provided his support to a newly engaged couple, Millicent Bulstrode and Gregory Goyle, to start a jewelry store as they begin their lives together._

_To honor the memory of Charity Burbage, who gave her life for the cause of a united wizarding society, Mr Malfoy recently established the Charity Burbage Scholarship that will sponsor one deserving muggleborn Hogwarts student each year. Mr Malfoy was inspired to start this scholarship after having a long conversation with Ms Burbage's sister, Constance Burbage._

_In December, Mr Malfoy entered into a consort union with Hermione Granger. They were the first couple to respond to the Ministry of Magic's new law that established legal consortships as part of its twofold campaign to increase the wizarding population and to reduce squib births. The Malfoys are expecting their first child, a girl, in September._

_The Daily Prophet wishes Mr Malfoy much success in all his future endeavours._

"That's certainly an impressive article," Hermione noted. "Am I right in assuming that the timing of this article was in no way a coincidence?"

"You know me well," Lucius said, chuckling. "When Kingsley Shacklebolt gets my application for the governorship on his desk, this article will help emphasize to him that I have fully renounced my former support of the Dark Lord and that I am once again suitable to be on the Board of Governors. And considering that Mr Potter's wedding is tomorrow, I thought it would be an apt time to give people something to talk about at the wedding reception, as Shacklebolt will no doubt be there."

Glacing at the paper again, she commented, "I notice there are also similar articles about how some other people are doing now, a year after the end of the war. There's an article about Harry, one about Neville, one about Andromeda Tonks and Teddy." After a pause, she noted, "And there's even one here about Rodolphus Lestrange; about how he couldn't adjust after the war and is now languishing at Azkaban."

"Yes, I thought including a piece about him would provide a sharp contrast to how my life has progressed in that same period of time," Lucius told her. "Rodolphus was always one of the Dark Lord's most fanatical followers, which is how he ended up married to Bellatrix. Narcissa and I could hardly bear socializing with them because of their obsession with Voldemort; it was so utterly tiresome to listen to their inane drivel about the Dark Lord."

"I can well imagine," Hermione said, shuddering at mere thought of the Lestranges.

"As you know, I was a Death Eater because it was expected of me," Lucius continued. "But it was always an unpleasant duty, never a obsession like it was to them. I must say that it was quite fortunate that most of the other Death Eaters were more like me than like the Lestranges. If there had been more true fanatics among our number, I daresay the war would have gone on much longer than it did and it's quite likely that Mr Potter wouldn't be alive to get married tomorrow." He didn't voice aloud that getting married to Ginny Weasley was only slightly more preferable alternative to death, in his opinion.

"Speaking of Harry, I wish I could see his face when he opens the our wedding gifts," Hermione said. "Your idea to replace the Potter family china was spot on, considering how little Harry has of his parents. And Narcissa's gift of platinum, goblin-made silverware -- I don't think I've ever seen anything as lovely and it matches perfectly with the china!"

"When you told me that Mr Potter had very few of his parents' belongings, it reminded me of when I used to go with my parents for dinner with Mr Potter's grandparents when I was a child," Lucius said. "Every pureblood family has their own distinctive china pattern, so I thought giving him a replacement of the Potter china would be most appropriate. We were fortunate that the china maker still had the template for the Potter china available. And Narcissa thought the lily pattern on the silverware would be a fine way for Mr Potter to remember his mother by."

"Harry will be so touched," Hermione said quietly. "Those are incredibly thoughtful gifts."

"Don't forget about the new family grimoire you chose," Lucius reminded her. "The Potter family grimoire, which had no doubt been in his family for generations was destroyed the night Mr Potter lost his parents, but with the new book you chose for him, he'll be creating a new heirloom for generations to come. The inclusion of all your notes within will go a long way into compiling it."

Hermione had commissioned the blank grimoire book to be made by Scrivenshaft's out of mahogany and leather, The cover was embossed with a lion's head surrounded by encrusted rubies.

"I just hope he's doing the right thing by marrying Ginny," Hermione said, heaving a loud sigh. "He hasn't seemed all that excited about getting married in the few times I've seen him lately."

"I'm sure he's making a mistake," Lucius said. "But there absolutely nothing we can do about it, as he'd not listen to anything on the subject from anyone right now. It's a mistake he's going to have to make for himself."

"Yes, I'm afraid to say that I agree with you," Hermione said, sighing again. "I'll just have to hope for the best."

--

A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers who have stayed with me during this story  
A/N New blog entry: Hermione's Gift To Harry. My blog can be accessed through my profile.  
A/B Next chapter: Harry's Wedding


	50. Harry's Wedding

Molly and Arthur Weasley rose early the next morning, before the rest of the household was awake. There was a lot to do that day in preparation for the wedding early that afternoon, so the long-married couple wanted to start the day with a leisurely breakfast before the pandemonium of preparation began.

"Is yesterday's _Daily Prophet_ still around?" Molly asked Arthur. "I was so busy yesterday that I never got around to reading it."

"It should be around here somewhere," Arthur said, as he sifted through a stack of mail sitting on the sideboard. "I didn't get to it yesterday, either, but I'll look at it when you're through." After a moment, he said, "Ah, here it is!"

Taking the paper from her husband, Molly smoothed it out on the table in front of her. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a photo of a smirking Lucius Malfoy sneering up at her.

After quickly scanning the article below the haughty wizard's picture, she flung it away in exasperation.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked. "Bad news in the paper?"

Thrusting the paper under her husband's nose and pointing to the article about Lucius, she huffed, "It's this! It's an article telling us all how _wonderfully marvelous _Lucius Malfoy has become since the end of the war! Oh, please! If one were to take this article about Malfoy seriously, one would think that every time he went to the loo, he pushed out roses!"

Arthur chuckled heartily to hear his wife speaking so bluntly, but waited for her to finish her rant.

"The _Prophet_ has turned into nothing but rubbish, and I can't imagine the _Quibbler_ being any much better if Lucius Malfoy is going to be bankrolling it."

"Well, Malfoy has actually done the stuff mentioned in this article," Arthur pointed out. "It could well be that Hermione is having a positive influence on him. I can't see Malfoy doing all this stuff simply out of the goodness of his own heart. I would imagine he's doing some or all of it to please her."

"Nonsense!" Molly replied. "She's just a _girl_! I can't see her having much influence against such a strong-willed wizard as Malfoy. He's just using her to infiltrate his way into respectable society and to warm his bed! If anything, she's the one who is being influenced by him!"

"Don't be so sure about that," Arthur countered. "It's amazing what a man will do when he's led around by his--"

"Arthur!" Molly broke in before he could finish the sentence.

"I'm sorry," he said. "What I meant to say was that amazing what a man will do for love. And I do think it's a strong possibility that he loves her."

"That man doesn't know the meaning of love," she sniffed. "Lucius Malfoy is only out for himself."

"Don't be so sure," Arthur said.

Before Molly could answer, they heard someone coming down the stairs. Ginny appeared a moment later, stretching and yawning. Arthur quickly stuffed the newspaper into the rubbish bin, as he'd had enough of the subject of Lucius Malfoy for one day and he didn't want anything distracting his only daughter on her wedding day.

"You're up early," Ginny said, yawning as she joined her parents at the table. "I meant to sleep a bit later myself, but I'm so excited about the wedding that I couldn't sleep any longer."

"We thought we'd get a good breakfast before we got too busy to eat," Molly explained. "We've got a lot to get done today before the wedding." Pointing her wand at the table in front of Ginny, a plate and silverware appeared.

As Ginny began helping herself from serving dishes already on the table, Molly urged, "Eat up, dear. Remember that you're eating for two and you'll need your strength today."

"Yes, Mum," Ginny said agreeably, then tucked in without further ado.

--

Back at the Malfoy penthouse, Lucius and Hermione had tarried in bed for most of the morning, leisurely making love before reluctantly rising for brunch so they'd not have to show up to Harry's wedding on empty stomachs.

After enjoying an unhurried meal, then showering with Lucius, Hermione went to her dressing room to get ready for the wedding, with Lucius doing the same. Lucius had taken her shopping the week before for a new gown to wear to the event. As she slipped the elegant, deep purple gown on, she noticed that the cut called attention to her pregnancy but this did not in any way detract from its elegance. Rather, it accentuated her glowing good health.

"Magnificent," Lucius breathed as she came out of the dressing room and turned so he could view the dress from every angle. "I daresay you'll outshine the bride wearing that."

"Do you really think so," she asked, giving him a wicked smile. "I was rather hoping I would."

"I know so," Lucius assured her, returning her smile. "Every man in the place will be jealous of my good fortune, while simultaneously feeling sorry for Potter because of the shrew he's marrying. With the two most beautiful women in wizarding Britain on either arm, I will be the most envied man at the event."

As Harry Potter's closest living wizarding relatives, Narcissa, along with Andromeda, would be attending the wedding. It would also be the first time Lucius would be seen in public socially with both his mates. When he'd originally bonded with Hermione, his plan was to keep each relationship strictly separate when interacting in public, but because Narcissa and Hermione got along so beautifully, he'd decided to amend that rule to some degree.

Today was an event that would draw people from all segments of the wizarding population, so Lucius privately thought it would be a good idea to see a united Malfoy family at the wedding. It had been Kingsley Shacklebolt's idea to legislate the consort relationship and for Shacklebolt to see him, his wife, and his consort all getting along well together could only to be to Lucius' benefit when Shacklebolt made his decision about the governorship position.

After glancing at the mantel clock, Lucius said, "We'd better get moving if we're going to pick Narcissa up and get to the wedding on time without having to hurry." A Malfoy never hurried if they could at all prevent it.

"Right you are," Hermione agreed, as she slipped her wand into a cleverly hidden wand pouch in her gown. Since first receiving her wand eight years before, Hermione never went anywhere without it.

Forty-five minutes later, the Malfoy party apparated at the same place they'd done so before for the graduation. As well as Lucius and his two mates, Narcissa and Hermione, the party included Draco, Luna, Andromeda Tonks, and Xeno Lovegood, who was Andromeda's escort for the event.

The group headed directly to the Great Hall, as the wedding was due to start in less than fifteen minutes. People from all walks of wizarding life were milling around in small groups in the hallways adjacent to the Great Hall as they made their way there to take their seats. With a haughty smile, Lucius noted the eyes that followed him as he walked toward the Great Hall, with both Narcissa and Hermione on either arm.

Narcissa looked regal as always in a cornflower blue gown, with matching sapphire and diamond jewelry that perfectly matched her eyes, with her gown complementing Hermione's deep purple ensemble with matching Russian amethyst and diamond jewelry. Luna and Andromeda were also elegantly attired in gowns of pale violet and forest green. Lucius was in his usual black with emerald cufflinks and stick pin, along with his wedding and bonding rings on either hand. Even Xeno had managed to look tasteful for once, in robes of Ravenclaw blue.

They did not stop to chat with anyone, though Lucius acknowledged several people with a nod and a tight smile on the way to their seats. He intended to circulate during the reception, knowing it could well generate support for his bid to return to the Hogwarts Governorship, though he'd not specifically mention it to anyone.

Because of Narcissa's and Andromeda's status as Harry's closest magical relatives and Hermione's status as his best friend, they took seats on the groom's side of the seating, which had been arranged in two sections for the wedding. Out of respect for Harry, they took seats near the front, but to the far left near the wall, so they'd not chance sitting anywhere near any Weasleys.

The room was filling up rapidly as the Malfoy entourage took their seats. As Harry had no family members he was close to, his side of the room was filled mainly with his former classmates and some adults in the community with whom he shared special friendships, such as Rubeus Hagrid.

As they waited for the ceremony to begin, Hermione looked around the room to see who'd arrived and what they were wearing. As her eyes swept the entrance, she saw a heavyset young man about her own age appear in the doorway. He was dressed in an ill-fitting muggle suit and his eyes shifted around nervously as he entered the room. He was accompanied by a thin woman in her fifties, whom Hermione recognized as Harry's squib neighbor from Little Whinging, Mrs Figg. She realized with surprise that the uncomfortable young man had to be Harry's cousin, Dudley Dursley. When Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones hurried over to greet him, her suspicions were confirmed. The two escorted him and Mrs Figg to sit on the first row on the right side, to the spot Harry's parents would have occupied had they still been alive.

A few moments later, Percy Weasley appeared in the doorway to escort his mother down the aisle, which signalled the ceremony was about to begin. Hermione noted that Molly Weasley was wearing the same amethyst colored robes she'd worn for Bill's wedding. Leaning across Lucius, she whispered to Narcissa, "She worn those same robes to Bill's wedding to Fleur Delacour!"

"I'm not surprised," Narcissa sniffed. "She'll probably make do with them for the weddings of the rest of her children as well."

"She might as well wear them," Lucius observed. "It's not as if new robes would do anything much to improve her appearance, anyway."

As Molly Weasley made her way up the aisle on Percy's arm, she noticed the three Malfoys with their heads close together, whispering and snickering. Knowing there wasn't anything she could do about them being here and wanting Ginny to have the best wedding possible, she tossed her head and turned away from them, determined to put the Malfoys out of her mind.

After Molly had been seated, Harry and Neville Longbottom emerged from the back entrance of the Great Hall and took their places on the dais near the podium. Looking distinctly ill at ease, Harry glanced back to the main entrance, awaiting the start of the procession.

"He looks as if he's anticipating the arrival of the executioner, rather than his bride," Lucius observed, as he watched the young man swallow heavily, then pull at his collar. "Shacklebolt should leave the back door open when he comes out, so Potter can make a run for it, if he manages to come to his senses at the last minute."

"That's not going to happen," Hermione said. "Harry always has to learn his lessons the hard way. For him, it will be like the old muggle saying goes, 'Marry in haste, repent in leisure'."

Before Lucius could reply, the bridesmaids made their appearance, each dressed in a particularly unattractive shade of brownish orange.

"I see that Miss Weasley has chosen to employ the strategy of ugly brides everywhere," Narcissa sniffed. "She's dressed her attendants in hideous gowns to make sure they don't make her look plain by comparison."

As Fleur Weasley passed them, Lucius commented, "I'd say she's failed miserably. That young woman could wear a burlap bag and still be more attractive than the bride."

Finally, Ginny Weasley appeared in the doorway on her father's arm. Hermione was shocked to see that she was wearing her mother's wedding gown. She'd remembered a conversation with her about a year before when Ginny had said she would wear her mother's wedding gown at her wedding just to please her mother.

As the redhead proceeded slowly up the aisle, Hermione was shocked to see how unflattering the gown was on Ginny. For one thing, Ginny had grown to be several inches taller than her mother, so the gown didn't hang well, and it looked stretched and tight under the armpits and was too short at the bottom. Her visibly pregnant body also didn't help matters any, adding to the overall ungainly effect. Plus, the gown was faded and yellowed with age.

"That's her mother's wedding gown," Hermione whispered to Narcissa when she heard the other woman's sharp intake of breath at seeing the unfortunate gown. "I imagine she wore only to shut her mother up."

"No doubt," Narcissa replied. "But you think someone could have transfigured it larger and gotten rid of the fading."

"That would have been my job," Hermione told her. "None of the Weasleys are particularly good at transfiguration, and I'd promised to help Ginny with it when she showed me the gown some time last year."

"She should have given that old rag to a house elf to cut up for dusting rags," Narcissa observed uncharitably.

The two women fell silent a moment later, as Ginny reached the dais and took her place by Harry. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood behind the podium, smiling at the couple as he took out his wand to begin.

As the ceremony began, Hermione suddenly realized that she had to pee very badly, but didn't want to get up while it was going on. Concentrating on suppressing the urge to go, even jiggling a leg a bit to distract herself, she tuned out the ceremony itself, knowing she'd have to quickly find a bathroom as soon as the ceremony was over.

"They're not using the pureblood wedding vows," Lucius muttered to Narcissa as Hermione continued to squirm. "I shouldn't be surprised, blood traitors that they are, but you think they'd have done so this time, considering that Potter's children will be practically pureblooded." Turning to Hermione who wasn't paying any attention, he demanded, "What's wrong? You're acting as if you have ants in your knickers."

"I have to pee!" she said.

"Well, you shouldn't wait," Lucius told her. "It's not good for you to hold it."

"I don't want to disturb the ceremony by getting up," she told him.

"Just apparate into the corridor," he told her. "Then you can run to the loo."

"All right," she said. "I'll wait out there once I'm done, as the ceremony is nearly over

"That's fine," Lucius said. "Now, go!'

She apparated into the corridor with no further ado, thus did not get to see the precise moment when Harry lost his status as a single man and officially became a member of the Weasley family.

--  
A/N Nearly 600 reviews! Keep them coming.  
A/N Next chapter: The Wedding Reception


	51. The Wedding Reception

No sooner had Hermione apparated into the corridor just outside the Great Hall than she took off at a dead run to find the nearest girl's bathroom. She barely made it in time; as it was, she nearly had to perform a cleaning charm on herself. After she finished up, she remained seated on the toilet for a few moments to collect herself before returning to Lucius.

"You've been sitting there for a long time!" Hermione jumped as she heard the disembodied voice of Moaning Myrtle hovering near the ceiling over her stall. "Are you _distraught_?" she added hopefully.

"No, I'm just tired," Hermione snapped back. "I'm resting for a moment."

"You're the girl who turned herself into a cat," Myrtle said, not having recognized Hermione at first. A moment later, after Hermione had stood up, pulled up her knickers and rearranged her gown and robe, the ghostly girl observed, "And now you're having a baby! Shame on you; that's against school rules!"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the busybody ghost. "I'm not a student anymore," she informed Myrtle in a haughty tone of voice that would have done Lucius proud. "I've already graduated."

"So you married that red haired boy, then," Myrtle concluded, having noticed the chemistry between the two when the Golden Trio had spent a lot of time in her bathroom when they were second years.

"No, he died during the Battle of Hogwarts last year," Hermione told her, sighing.

"I'm sorry," Myrtle said, somewhat abashed. "So who is it, then? Someone I know?"

"I don't know if you've heard of him or not," Hermione said. "It's Lucius Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Myrtle repeated. "That's the name of that boy who came to talk to me when he was so troubled a couple of years ago. But his name was Draco. Is Lucius his brother?"

Chuckling merrily, Hermione replied, "No, he's Draco's father."

"You married Draco's _father_?" the ghost said, shocked.

"No, we're not married," Hermione explained wearily. Now wanting to return to Lucius, she didn't feel like explaining the consort relationship to Myrtle.

"I was right!" Myrtle declared, now properly scandalized. "You _are_ a naughty girl!"

Hermione laughed at her as she headed out the door to return to the wedding.

As Hermione reached the doors to the Great Hall, she saw that the ceremony was over. The wedding party had formed a receiving line on the dais and people were already queuing up to give their congratulations. Narcissa, Andromeda, Draco, Xeno, and Luna had gone to wait their turn to congratulate the newly-married couple, but Lucius was waiting for her in the doorway.

"You took quite awhile," Lucius remarked, as Hermione reached up for a kiss. "I was beginning to think that you'll fallen in."

"I'm sorry," she said. "But Moaning Myrtle was in there and I ended up talking to her for awhile. I feel sorry for her -- it must be frightfully boring and lonely to be a ghost sometimes."

"I'm sure," Lucius replied absently.

"Where did everyone go," she asked, meaning the rest of the Malfoy entourage.

"Being Mr Potter's closest wizarding relatives, they went to pay their respects," Lucius said, indicating the long queue to the reception line with a sweep of his hand. "Luna and Xeno, likewise, wished to do so, and Draco properly went with them as Luna's fiance. Perhaps you need to do so as well."

"That's a good idea," she agreed. She moved to walk to the back of the queue, but stopped when she noticed that Lucius was not following her. "Aren't you coming with me?"

"No, I'll just wait for you," he said. "I have no wish to get into a confrontation with Molly Weasley nor her daughter. Mr Potter deserves a peaceful wedding day without drama."

"If you're not going, then I'm not going," Hermione said firmly. "I'll just find Harry later and pay my respects. It's not as if Mrs Weasley or Ginny will be thrilled to see me, whether or not you're with me."

"True," Lucius agreed. "Why don't we take a walk on the grounds while we wait for Narcissa and the others?"

"I'd like that," Hermione said, smiling up at her consort. After taking his arm, the happy couple strolled out into the courtyard, where a few others were already out enjoying the sun as they waited for the reception to begin.

As they headed onto the grounds in the general direction of Hagrid's cabin, they came upon Argus Filch and Irma Pince sitting on a bench just outside the courtyard, with Mrs Norris seated on the pavement by her master. Both were dressed in their finest robes and Hermione thought that this must have been the only time she'd ever seen Filch clean shaven.

"Mr Malfoy," Filch greeted, nodding at Lucius, His disapproving glance passed briefly over Hermione, but he did not comment about the younger man's relationship with her.

"I understand that congratulations are in order," Lucius told Filch smoothly, including Irma Pince with his gaze. "Allow us to offer our best wishes on your recent marriage."

"Thank you, sir," Filch answered. "We're very happy."

Looking kindly at the Hogwarts librarian, Hermione said, "I'm very glad for you. You should have done it years ago."

"Thank you," the new Mrs Filch said primly.

Before Filch could comment, Lucius said, "We'll leave you to your privacy now. The reception will begin shortly, but we wanted to get a walk in first." Taking Hermione's hand, he led her away from the older couple, without waiting for a reply.

Once they were well out of earshot, Lucius turned to Hermione and said, "I know you meant well, but there's a very good reason why Mr Filch didn't marry Mrs Pince until now."

Hermione gave him a questioning look, but otherwise did not speak, waiting for him to continue.

"As you may or may not know, Argus Filch is a squib from a pureblood family," Lucius told her. "Sadly, he was the last male of the Filch line, which has now died out because he is a squib."

As the couple paused to enjoy the view of the lake in the distance, he continued. "Relatively few squibs remain in the wizarding world, as most prefer to disappear into the muggle world and take their chances there, usually taking muggle mates. From what I understand, Filch tried this for a few years as a young man, but soon returned, as he was unable to integrate successfully into muggle life. When he returned to the wizarding world, Dumbledore took pity on him and gave him his current position at Hogwarts."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "The few squibs who have remained in the wizarding world almost never marry. First of all, few witches would consider marrying a squib. Secondly, most squibs come from pureblood families, so they remain single so as not to risk bringing squib children into the world and further embarrassing their families. Those who do marry, wait to marry a witch who is beyond childbearing years in order to avoid this possibility." Taking Hermione's hands in his own, he said, "Though I know you only meant to give them the best of wishes, what you said only reminded Mr Filch that he's a squib and was no doubt offensive to him."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione moaned. "I had no idea. It's so sad!"

"It's my fault," Lucius said. "I keep forgetting that you were raised in the muggle world and would have no idea of the finer points of wizarding etiquette that those raised in the wizarding world learn as children."

"Do you have any books about wizarding etiquette that I could read, so I don't embarrass you again," she asked. "I need to learn before Lucinda is born, so I can better teach her."

Leaning down to give her a brief kiss, he said, "You could never knowingly embarrass me. But I'll get you the appropriate books the next time we go into Flourish and Blotts." After a thoughtful pause, he said, "When I regain my Governorship, I will work to establish a Wizarding Customs class for all incoming muggleborn students, so they'll fit better into the wizarding world and avoid such gaffes as you just made."

"That's an excellent idea," she agreed.

"We've been gone awhile," Lucius observed. "We should be getting back and rejoin the others. They will no doubt be wondering what happened to us. I would imagine the house elves have already set things up for the reception.

A short time later, Lucius and Hermione, along with the rest of the Malfoy entourage, were seated at a round table in the Great Hall, situated among the many other similar tables set up for the wedding reception. The wedding party was seated up on the dais at the regular staff table used during the school year. A section of the floor directly below the dais had been reserved for dancing, with the band set up to one side.

After they'd finished eating, Draco and Luna got up to dance. Xeno, likewise, got up to circulate among the crowd, looking for story material for his first issue of the revived _Quibbler._

A few minutes later, Harry Potter approached the table and thanked everyone for attending. Turning to Hermione, he asked, "Would you like to dance," then belatedly added to Lucius, "That is, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not," Lucius assured him. "Be my guest."

As Harry led Hermione to the dance floor, she murmured, "I'm sorry I didn't go through the receiving line, but I didn't want to upset Ginny and Mrs Weasley on your wedding day."

"That's all right," Harry assured her. "I figured it was something like that and I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I'm just glad you came to the wedding."

"It was my pleasure," she told him. "I was surprised to see your cousin Dudley here, though."

"I'd sent him an invitation, but I didn't really expect him to come," Harry told her. "It really pleased me to see him here. I'm hoping we can have some kind of relationship now that we're both adults."

Back at the table, Narcissa excused herself to go "powder her nose". After she'd left the table, Lucius turned his gaze on Hermione, who was still dancing with Harry, appreciating how gracefully she was dancing with him. Andromeda followed his gaze, and said, "She's blossomed into a beautiful young woman, Lucius. She'll make a wonderful mother."

"Yes, she will," Lucius agreed. After a pause, Lucius turned to Andromeda and said in a quiet voice, "I want to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" she asked, perplexed. "What for?"

"For not supporting you when you married Ted Tonks," he began. "For not urging Narcissa to see you after your wedding, even though she missed you. For thinking you were a blood traitor simply for marrying the man you loved. I never truly saw how wrong all of that was until I got together with Hermione. Being with her has opened my eyes about a lot of things. I hope you'll accept my apology for all the wasted years."

Andromeda looked into his eyes and saw that he was being entirely sincere. ""Of course, I accept," she said quietly. "Those were different times, then, as we were all young and foolish. You've been a good husband to Narcissa all these years, no matter what, and you did the right thing for your family when it really mattered. We can't undo the past -- all we can do is look forward and do the best we can now."

Lucius didn't speak, but reached over and gave her hand a squeeze.

At that moment Kingsley Shacklebolt approached the table. After greeting them, he said, "I'm glad I found you two together. I'd like to talk to you both in my office at your earliest convenience."

"I'm available tomorrow afternoon," Lucius told him.

"I could come tomorrow morning," Andromeda said.

"Excellent," he told them. "How about ten for you, Mrs Tonks, and two-thirty for you, Mr Malfoy? Will those times be acceptable?"

After both nodded in assent, Shacklebolt stood and said, "I'll leave you to enjoy the reception, then."

Lucius smiled tightly as he watched the other wizard walk away. It seemed as if his wish to return to the Governorship was likely to become reality sooner than he expected.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers, new and old. It is your support of this story that has allowed it to reach nearly one hundred thousand words.  
A/N Take a fun quiz on my blog, Are You A Muggle? My blog can be accessed through my profile  
A/N Next Chapter, Gifts and Good News


	52. Gifts and Good News

The next morning, the new Mr and Mrs Potter did not get out of bed until nearly noon. The wedding reception had gone on until late, then once they'd returned to Grimmauld Place, Harry wanted to make sure that Ginny had a proper wedding night,. Consequently, they'd not gotten to sleep until nearly 4 in the morning.

They'd decided to skip the honeymoon for now, considering Ginny's pregnancy, but planned to take a trip to Ireland once the baby had been born and Ginny had recovered from the birth. Both the Weasleys and the Prewetts had kin living in Ireland, whom Ginny wanted to show off her new husband to.

The newly-married couple had received hundreds of wedding gifts from all over the wizarding world, which they'd not had time to begin to open yet, let alone acknowledge. Knowing that it would take hours to open the hundreds of gifts now lying reduced in the newly-refurbished formal dining room, they'd decided to attend to them a little at a time.

As they sat in the kitchen eating the lunch that Kreacher had prepared for them, Harry said, "Want to take a stab at some of the gifts after we eat?"

"That's a good idea," Ginny agreed with an eager smile. She was anxious to see what kind of a haul they'd gotten. She'd never seen so many gifts in her life and the sheer number of them almost made her head spin.

A few minutes later, the couple each grabbed an armful of reduced gifts and carried them into the kitchen to open. Kreacher followed them like an old mother hen, insisting, "Master and Mistress should just sit down. Kreacher will bring the gifts!"

"That's all right, Kreacher," Harry told him. "We got all we wanted to deal with for now. But I promise I'll call you next time and let you do it."

"Kreacher will clear away the wrapping paper, then," the elf said, wanting to salvage some of his job from the moment. He then went to take a seat in the corner, so as not to miss any more opportunities to serve his new Master and Mistress. No sooner than he'd taken a seat, than the young couple began opening gifts, avid as they were to see what the packages contained.

"You go first," Harry encouraged Ginny. "Open a few gifts, then I'll take my turn."

"All right," she said, eagerly reaching for the package nearest her. She ripped off the paper to find a complete set of silk bed linens in Gryffindor red.

"Who are those from?" Harry asked. running a finger along the smooth cloth.

Ginny read the attached card, then answered, "It's from Lavender Brown."

Harry handed the package off to Kreacher, telling him to go change the bed. After the elf hurried off to obey, Harry watched Ginny open several more similar gifts. Finally, he said, "Let me open a few for awhile."

Ginny gathered up the cards from the gifts already opened and started to write a description of each gift on their matching cards to use later when writing acknowledgments. As she jotted the information down, Harry reached for a rather large package to open first.

"I wonder what this is," he said. Tearing off the elegant wrapping paper, he looked in the box and found china plates in three different sizes, plus a dish and a bowl. Each plate was banded in burgundy red, with an edging of gold, which Harry suspected was genuine, near the rims. The center of the plate was white and displayed the Potter family crest in gold. Snatching up the accompanying card, Harry read,

_I was able to find a template of the Potter family china, which has been in your family for generations, to have this china created from. These pieces have been charmed to allow them to be replicated 200 times, which is done with the Replicato spell, then tapping the piece however many times corresponding to how many duplicates you need._

_--Lucius Malfoy_

Harry held up a dinner plate, realizing that his parents and grandparents must have eaten from plates exactly like these. At one time, he'd asked Professor Dumbledore what had happened to his parents' possessions after they'd died and had been told there had been few things worth salvaging. As Harry continued to gaze at the plate, he was glad to have something that would have been familiar and personal to them, even if these weren't the actual plates they'd eaten from.

Ginny was oblivious to the thoughts running through her new husband's mind at that moment. "Who's it from?" she demanded.

"Believe it or not, it's from Lucius Malfoy," Harry told her, still in wonder at how Lucius had managed to pick just the right gift.

"Throw it out!" she said firmly. "I'll bet they're cursed."

Harry rolled his eyes at his new wife's paranoia. "Ginny, you can't be serious."

Pulling out her wand, she aimed it at the box to test for hexes and curses. "Humor me," she said grimly. "I'd not put anything past that man."

After Ginny was satisfied that the china was safe to use, Harry said, "Can we move on now? I want to open something else." Not waiting for a reply, he pulled a long, heavy, flat box toward him. He opened the box to find a complete set of goblin-made platinum silverware within. As he held up a knife, he noted a bold lily pattern on the handle. Harry suddenly had a lump in his throat as he realized the symbolism of this choice of this particular flower pattern. He grabbed the card, which read:

_I chose this pattern to honor your mother's memory. As with the china my husband gave you, this gift is charmed to allow up to 200 duplications for each piece._

_--Narcissa Malfoy_

After pulling himself together, he turned to Ginny and said, "This one is from Narcissa Malfoy. Do you want to check it for curses, too?"

"No," she replied. "I am amazed, however, at how much the Malfoys are sucking up to you. I guess they want to get in good with the winners, whomever they may be."

Harry did not reply, but merely rolled his eyes, as he knew there was no reasoning with her. Instead, he reached for the next gift, which felt like a book. He ripped off the paper to find a large book with an elaborate, jeweled cover. Opening it, he saw an inscription in Hermione's familiar handwriting, along with a card tucked inside.

_Marriage is a fine time to begin a new family grimoire. Here's hoping you will have many generations of Potters to hand it down to._

_--Love, Hermione_

"Who is that from?" Ginny demanded.

"Hermione," Harry replied, now leafing through the grimoire, looking at some of the notes Hermione had added to get him started.

"Oh, well, that figures," Ginny sneered. ""Hermione gave a book as a gift. Who would have guessed she'd choose a _book_?"

"It's a grimoire," Harry told her. "I'd told Hermione that my father's family grimoire, which had been in the family for generations, was destroyed the night they were killed. I'm really touched that she remembered that and gave me a new one to start the tradition again. And considering that your father promised the Weasley grimoire to Bill, I thought you'd be happy that we've got one now that's all our own."

Seeing that she'd touched a nerve with Harry, she let the matter drop. Not wanting a disagreement to ruin their day, she said, "Let's do something else for awhile. We can come back to the gifts later."

"What did you have in mind?" Harry asked, though he already had a good idea.

"Oh, I think you know," she said, with a suggestive expression on her face.

The wedding gifts now forgotten, Harry grinned and said, "That works for me."

---

Minister Shacklebolt will see you now," the secretary to the Minister of Magic told Lucius Malfoy.

The haughty blond wizard nodded briefly to the young woman as he headed to the inner office.

"Mr Malfoy," Kingsley Shacklebolt said, as Lucius entered the office, rising to shake his hand. "I'm glad you could make it." Indicating a chair, he said, "Please, have a seat."

After Malfoy had seated himself and accepted a cup of tea from Shacklebolt's secretary, the men got to the point of the meeting.

"I suppose you know why I asked you here today," the Minister began.

"I have a good idea," Lucius replied briefly, allowing a brief smile.

"I've reviewed your application to the Hogwarts' Governors Board," the other man said. "And I'd like to ask you what you'd particularly like to accomplish on the Board should I grant your application."

"In addition to the general welfare of Hogwarts, three issues I'm most interested in are ending the overt pro-Gryffindor bias at Hogwarts and to see the end of the scapegoating of Slytherin," Lucius said. "Secondly, I'd like to see a change in the way that muggleborn students and their families are acclimated to Hogwarts and to the wizarding world. The present method of simply throwing muggleborn students in with the general student body with no preparation and expecting them to pick up wizarding customs, mores, and etiquette by immersion or osmosis is not effective, in my opinion. It has contributed to social awkwardness in muggleborns, which has only contributed to perpetuating the prejudice against them."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Instead of using a sink-or-swim approach with muggleborns, I believe such students would be better served by a required class before the beginning of their first year that would be an introduction to the wizarding world. Its purpose would be to bring them up to speed on matters that are second nature to wizarding children by the time they are eleven years old. Ideally, I'd also like to see a class for the families of such students that would help them adjust to having a magical family member and would stress the importance of keeping the wizarding world secret from the muggle population at large. It is this last point that has been the basis of the traditional pureblood hesitance to include muggleborns as Hogwarts students. If we are committed to keeping our world secret from the muggle world and if we also are committed to properly training muggleborns, then we need to change our present approach to muggleborn students."

Shacklebolt remained silent, knowing that Lucius wasn't done yet.

"A third issue that I also think is important is that I believe that muggleborn students should be contacted earlier," Lucius continued. "I think they should be contacted before they start primary school because I believe that no wizarding child should ever go to school with muggle children. From what Hermione has told me, muggleborn children almost always become social outcasts in muggle primary schools because the muggle children intuitively understand that these children are different and are routinely ostracised for being "weird" or "crazy"."

Taking a deep breath, he added, "Plus, contacting such families earlier will help the families understand sooner that their children are not in need of psychological help. Using Harry Potter as a typical example, abuse of muggle raised children is sadly common because the families don't understand their magical children. Add the ill-treatment they often get at school and the end result can be that the child develops actual psychological problems that the neither the wizarding world nor the muggle world is equipped to deal with. I believe the only help for it is prevention. To that end, I believe Hogwarts need to sponsor a system of pre-Hogwarts primary schools all over the country, which would be available to both muggleborn children and those raised in the wizarding world."

"I'm in full agreement about the last two issues," Shacklebolt said. "But Gryffindor bias? Can you elaborate on that?"

"You attended Hogwarts the same time I did, Minister," Lucius said. "I'm sure you remember how much Dumbledore favored Gryffindor, if the number of times Gryffindor has won the house points competition in the last forty years is any indication. He always acted as Gryffindor could do no wrong and that no one from Slytherin could do any right. You were a Hufflepuff, so I'm sure you remember how Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were usually overlooked and treated as if they didn't exist."

"I remember," Shacklebolt admitted reluctantly, remembering how Hufflepuffs were thought of as nice guys who finished last when he was in school.

"I thought you would," Lucius said tightly. "The Governors' Board has also reflected the Gryffindor bias, as a majority of the Governors for the last fifty years or so have been Gryffindors, with far fewer Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs. And I'm not sure if you know this, but when I was previously a Governor, I was the first one from Slytherin since the 1930s. Presently, there are no Slytherin Governors."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Ideally, there should be an equal number of Governors from each house, so the interests of each house are adequately represented. The goal should be to make sure that all houses are treated equally and fairly, with incoming first years arriving without bias against any house, which would assist in them being sorted more accurately.

After a pause, Lucius added, "Hermione had recently told me that Mr Potter had told her that the sorting hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin, but that he'd already been told by more than once person, both Gryffindors, that Slytherin produced only dark wizards. The hat took his preferences into account, thus placed him in Gryffindor, when he should have properly been a Slytherin."

Pausing again for emphasis, he added, "Can you imagine how much shorter the war could have been, if Mr Potter had been in Slytherin and gotten to know Slytherins as people first and befriended some, instead of blindly swallowing the anti-Slytherin propaganda? I can assure you that many Slytherins went dark because people believed they were already so and they gave in and became what people thought they were, anyway."

The blond wizard concluded by saying, "It is essential to stamp out the anti-Slytherin bias and for this house to be seen as a house like any other, with all kinds of people in it. For as long as the stereotype of Slytherin as the "bad" house is tolerated, the more likely that those sorted into Slytherin will be easy pickings for the next Dark Lord who comes along."

"You've made some excellent points, Mr Malfoy," Shacklebolt said with the hint of a smile. Reaching across the desk to shake Lucius' hand, he said simply, "Welcome back to the board of Governors." After the men had shaken hands, he said, "I believe you and Mrs Tonks will be valued additions to the board."

--  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. When I started this story, I never thought it would be this long.  
A/N Next Chapter: Babysitting


	53. Babysitting

About a week later, Lucius returned to the penthouse one afternoon after having spent several days with Narcissa. He found Hermione sitting around the breakfast room table having tea with Luna and Millicent Bulstrode.

"What a pleasant surprise," Lucius said smoothly as he entered the room where the three women sat. "To come home and find three such lovely ladies." He bent to give Hermione a brief kiss.

Luna smiled up at the handsome wizard, while Millie blushed furiously. After returning his kiss, Hermione said, "We've been doing some planning for Luna's and Millie's weddings. Just some boring girl talk, you know."

"Well, I'll leave you ladies to it, then," Lucius said, smiling. "I've got some paperwork to do in the library for now, but there's a matter I need to discuss with you later on, Hermione."

"I'll see you in a little while then," Hermione said, giving him another kiss before he left the room.

About an hour later, after Luna and Millie had left, Hermione joined Lucius in the library. She found him at his desk, perusing a stack of paperwork pertaining to his newly regained position on the Hogwarts Board of Governors.

Sensing her presence behind him, Lucius looked up from his paperwork and smiled when he saw his pregnant consort in the doorway. "Well," he said. "That didn't take long. I'd expected you to be busy with your friends all afternoon." He pointed his wand at the papers, which returned it all to his desk drawer.

"They'd been here most of the morning and then we all had lunch together," Hermione explained. "But they both had things they needed to do later this afternoon." Taking a seat on the sofa behind him, she asked, "So, what's on your mind? You said you had something to discuss with me."

After seating himself next to Hermione on the sofa, he said, "Andromeda has asked a big favor of us."

"Oh?" Hermione looked at him expectantly.

"Andromeda and Narcissa have decided to take a trip to the beach," Lucius began. "They've decided to stay a few days at the old Black beach home, where they stayed as children when their family would go on their yearly beach holidays." Taking a sip of tea, he continued, "They want it to be just the two of them, as a way to start to make up for all the lost years."

"That's a good idea," Hermione said with a smile. "How long were they apart?"

"Let's see," Lucius said, pausing to think. "The Black family officially shunned Andromeda as soon as they discovered she'd eloped with Ted Tonks. Their daughter Nymphadora was born about a year later. I believe she was about 25 when she was killed last year. So, about 26 years or so."

"That's a lot of wasted time," Hermione noted. "I'm glad they've got the chance to be real sisters once again."

"Understandably, they want to spend that time together without distractions, so Andromeda has asked us to care for Teddy while they're away," Lucius said, finally getting to the point. "I thought it would be a good chance for us to have a test run as parents together."

Hermione didn't immediately respond, but sat turning the idea over in her head.

"Of course, if you feel as if it would be too much for you, Draco and Luna would be happy to keep him, and I'm sure Xeno would be delighted to pitch in," Lucius hastily assured her. "But you and I were Andromeda's first choice."

"That's not necessary," Hermione said firmly. "I'd love to do it. He's a darling little boy and you're right, it will give a chance to practice being parents together."

"Excellent," Lucius said, smiling widely. "Narcissa will send along the house elf that cared for Draco when he was a baby to help out as needed and to give Breezy a bit of training in child care as well."

"When are they leaving?" Hermione asked. "We'll need to start getting ready."

"The day after tomorrow," Lucius replied. "And Breezy will modify one of the bedrooms for Teddy's needs. The nursery elf will also have a cot in there, so she will be available for Teddy's needs at all times." Rising from the sofa, he said, "I'll floo Narcissa right away and let her know everything is set."

Two days later, Andromeda Tonks arrived at the penthouse with young Teddy in tow. An old, female house elf accompanied them, loaded down with a reduced box of Teddy's essential belongings.

Hermione and Lucius were in the library to welcome the group as they came through the floo, as Andromeda had owled ahead advising them what time they would arrive.

"Why don't we sit down and visit for a little while over a cup of tea, while Teddy gets comfortable," Hermione suggested, indicating a comfortable chair for the older woman.

As Andromeda took a seat opposite Hermione and Lucius, she indicated the new elf and said, "This is Binky. She is Teddy's personal elf and helps me see to all his needs. Narcissa sent her to live with me and Teddy almost a year ago, so she'll be a big help helping him feel comfortable while I'm gone."

"Hello, Binky," Hermione said, smiling at the middle-aged elf. "Why don't you go with Breezy and she'll show you where Teddy's room will be and where you can put his things." She indicated her own house elf, who stood waiting in the doorway.

"Yes, Mistress," Binky said in a squeaky voice. "I thanks you."

"Right this way," Breezy said, as imperiously as a house elf could manage to be. Breezy was quite conscious of her position as the official elf of the penthouse residence.

After the elves had left the room, Lucius turned to Andromeda and said quietly, "Let me take him. It's best for him to get used to us a little bit before you go."

As Andromeda leaned over to allow her brother in law to take Teddy, the little boy looked around nervously, not quite sure how to react. He glanced at Andromeda, who smiled at him in encouragement.

Teddy stiffened slightly as he felt his grandmother's hands leave him, but he did not cry. After a moment, he turned to solemnly regard the blond wizard holding him.

"Hello, young man," Lucius said in a low voice, impressed that Teddy, though apprehensive, wasn't giving in to his urge to cry. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a toy quidditch player on a broom, about the size of his palm. After setting it on the table beside him, he reached into his robe for his wand. He pointed the wand at the miniature quidditch player, murmured a spell which animated the toy, causing it to fly around the room.

The little boy squealed in delight at the sight of the toy zipping around and Lucius felt him relax as he forgot his apprehension. Hermione and Andromeda looked on in approval, glad that Lucius had been able to put Teddy at ease so quickly.

A few minutes later, Andromeda took Teddy back and sat him on her lap. Looking into his eyes, she said, "Nana is going to go away for a few days with Auntie Narcissa. Uncle Lucius and Aunt Hermione are going to take care of you while we're gone. I'm sure you'll have so much fun while I'm away that you won't even miss me."

Hermione reached out for Teddy before he could react to his grandmother's words and said, "How would you like a little snack? Why don't we go to the kitchen and see what Breezy has whipped up?"

Teddy went to Hermione willingly enough and after they'd hurried off to the kitchen, Andromeda turned to Lucius. "I appreciate you and Hermione taking care of Teddy for me. I'll be able to relax and have a good time knowing he's in good hands."

"Don't worry about a thing," Lucius told her with a tight smile. "Teddy will be fine. I think I still remember a thing or two about taking care of little boys."

Giving him a shaky smile, she said, "This will be the first time we've been separated since Dora's death." Sighing loudly, she added, "Well, I suppose I should go before he returns. It will be easier for both of us if there's not a scene."

"We'll keep him busy and distracted enough that he won't have time to miss you," Lucius assured her. As she stepped into the fireplace to floo back to Malfoy Manor, he said, "We'll see you in a few days, then."

"Take good care of him, Lucius," she said, before throwing the floo powder and disappearing into green smoke.

--  
A/N Sorry this chapter is on the short side. The next one will be a bit longer. I appreciate all those who have taken the time to read and review my story.  
A/N Next chapter: At The Beach


	54. At The Beach

The next morning, Narcissa and Andromeda were strolling along the beach not far from the Black family beach home. The house and stretch of beach were in a secluded cove not far from Torbay. Dotted with the vacation homes of pureblood wizards, the entire cove was warded with anti-Muggle charms.

Finding the perfect spot, Narcissa said, "Why don't we sit here?"

"All right," Andromeda agreed.

"Tappy!" Narcissa called out. A middle aged house elf immediately appeared.

"Mistress called Tappy?" the elf inquired.

"Yes," Narcissa confirmed. "We'll be having lunch right here. We'll also need two beach chairs and a large canopy to shade us both."

"Yes, Mistress." The elf disapparated with a loud crack, but soon returned with the items Narcissa had specified, along with lunch.

After the elf had set up the chairs and canopy, then left the women alone again, they relaxed into the chairs, sipping drinks as they felt the sun warming their bare legs.

"It still looks the same as it did when Mum and Dad brought us here as children," Andromeda remarked. "I'd missed it." She'd not visited the family's beach home since marrying Ted Tonks, as it had been warded against her. Narcissa had made sure to alter the wards before they'd left Malfoy Manor the night before. "Did you come here much as an adult?" Andromeda asked.

"Not very often," Narcissa told her. "Lucius doesn't like the beach, as he's so prone to sunburn, so we didn't come as a family very much. I did bring Draco here at least once per summer while he was growing up, however. This was one of the places where his magic first manifested itself. One summer, when he was five, he and I came here alone for a couple of days. He was building a sand castle, and when the tide came in, he diverted the waves around his creation so it wouldn't get destroyed. That's when I knew he'd be a powerful wizard."

"Very impressive," Andromeda said. "I remember Dora at about the same age giving herself a kitty tail so she'd match our cat."

"It must have been the Black heritage in them," Narcissa decided. "But don't tell Lucius I told you that!"

Both sisters laughed heartily at the thought of Lucius' likely reaction to the notion that Draco might have gotten his magical power mainly from the Black side of the family.

Now pensive, Narcissa said, "Bella used to so love the beach and was one of the best swimmers I've ever known. It's too bad she never had any children of her own; perhaps the business of minding her own children would have kept her from being so obsessed with the Dark lord and from descending into madness."

"I don't think anything would have saved her," Andromeda said sadly. "You might be too young to remember, but even as a teen, she showed signs of instability. I remember one summer when she snuck off to the muggle beach in the next cove and ended up bewitching a shark to come ashore and terrify a group of muggle children. It was a miracle that none of the children were hurt. Father was furious, as she nearly revealed the existence of the magical world to a large group of muggles. It took him and mother all night to obliviate all those muggles."

"Was that the year Lucius first came with us to the beach?" Narcissa asked. She and Lucius had been childhood friends long before becoming romantically involved.

"Yes, I think it was," Andromeda confirmed, smiling. "No wonder you didn't remember; you had better things to do that summer."

"I still wish Bella could have been saved, though," Narcissa mused. "Whatever she did, she was still our sister and I would have paid anything to have seen her get well and to start a new life."

"Though I miss her, too, I think it was for the best that she didn't survive," Andromeda said flatly. "They'd have just sent her back to Azkaban and she'd have faced the Dementor's kiss this time for all the people she killed. And I don't think I could have ever forgiven her for killing Dora, regardless of how insane she was."

Narcissa reached over and placed a hand over her sister's. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'd forgotten that she was the one to kill Dora."

"I can never forget," Andromeda said quietly. "But they're both at peace now."

Neither sister spoke for a long moment, each gazing out to sea, lost in their own thoughts.

Quite some time later, after they'd finished lunch and knocked back a few drinks, Andromeda suddenly said to Narcissa, "So. Tell me how you really feel about Lucius' bond with Hermione. I can't imagine you greeted it as good news when he first told you about it."

"No, I didn't," Narcissa confided. "But Lucius has never been strictly faithful to me during our entire marriage, so I can't say I was all that shocked by it. But don't get me wrong -- he's always been a good husband to me and a good father to Draco, but it's just not in him to be a one-woman man."

Andromeda patted her sister's hand in sympathy, but did not comment, waiting for her to finish.

"But, oddly enough, his relationship with Hermione has only served to make our marriage better," Narciissa continued. "He's been much more attentive than previously, wanting to make sure I don't feel neglected, and we even make love more often now." After taking a sip of her drink, she added, "But, of course, Lucius is no longer being plagued morning, noon, and night with the demands of the Dark Lord, so I'm sure that is also a factor. Whether it's Hermione or that he's no longer serving the Dark Lord, Lucius has been more relaxed and at ease, and lately I've been seeing a lot more of the Lucius I originally fell in love with."

Andromeda smiled, encouraging Narcissa to go on with her story.

"Of course, I wondered if Lucius was out of his mind by taking up with a muggleborn," Narcissa said with an apologetic smile at her sister. "But you must remember, that I'd never actually known any muggleborns personally, beyond the ones we knew in school and those were all in different houses, so I never really got to know any of them. So, I essentially still believed all the things our parents taught us about them and with Lucius having served the Dark Lord all those years, I never had a pressing reason to see if what we'd been taught was actually true."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "But Hermione isn't anything I expected a muggleborn to be. She's an intelligent, refined young woman, and I know she cares deeply for Lucius. And she's treated me with respect. I don't know if she's the exception to the rule when it comes to muggleborns, but I suspect not. I'm guessing that much of what we were taught as children is simply narrowmindedness."

"I can assure you that you're exactly right," Andromeda said. "Ted treated me like a queen throughout our marriage and I'll miss him forever. And his muggle family welcomed me like one of their own from the very first and they are still there for me if I would ever need them for anything. What our parents taught us about muggles and muggleborns was utter rubbish."

"Hermione actually has been very good for Lucius," Narcissa said. "She's gotten him to look forward, instead of moping around the Manor brooding over all that he'd lost and castigating himself for his stupidity over not challenging his father about becoming a Death Eater in the first place. And, of course, she's been good for the entire family, helping us to re-integrate into wizarding society much more quickly than we'd have done alone and helping us to repair our reputation." After a slight pause, she continued, Narcissa concluded with a smile, "And she's turned out to be quite a refreshing friend whom I feel I can trust, which is a lot more than the insufferable pureblood wives I've had to endure since you left and I married Lucius. Jealous, judgmental harpies, all of them!"

"I'm glad it's worked out for the best for all of you," Andromeda said with a smile.

"Enough about me," Narcissa said. "What I've been curious to know is how you felt about Dora marrying Remus Lupin, what with him being a werewolf. Surely you must have worried for her safety and must worry now about the possibility of Teddy becoming one."

"To tell you the truth, I was more concerned his apparent unwillingness to commit to Dora," Andromeda confided. "Not that I was thrilled that he was a werewolf -- I wasn't -- but his standoffishness was a more immediate concern. They got married on a whim, and I think he always regretted it. I don't know if they would have eventually worked it out had they survived the war, but there's no way to know now. Ted and I were both alarmed at his less than enthusiastic response when Dora announced that she was pregnant." Heaving a loud sigh, she continued, "As far as Teddy goes, I must admit that I've been concerned that he might take after his father, but I'll just have to deal with that one day at a time. He's been such a dear, and taking care of him has helped me not to miss Dora and Ted so much."

Narcissa patted her sister's hand in sympathy, glad that she'd not had to face the loss of Lucius or Draco. "Speaking of taking care of Teddy, I wonder how Lucius and Hermione are managing with him?"

--  
A/N With this chapter, this story goes over 100,000 words. I couldn't have done it without my faithful readers and reviewers. Thanks, everyone!  
A/N New Blog Post and Poll: "How Should I End Hermione's Choice?" You can access my blog through my profile. Please go over and vote, and hopefully leave a comment about your vote.  
A/N Next chapter: Taking Care of Teddy


	55. Taking Care of Teddy

"What would you like to do today?" Lucius asked Hermione at breakfast. Teddy was in a high chair next to Hermione drinking orange juice in a magical baby cup that Binky had enspelled with a hovering charm so Teddy could neither drop nor spill his drink.

Looking at Teddy, she said, "I thought we'd take him out to the park. There's a very nice one that I noticed when I was staying with Harry and the Weasleys. It has a playground that includes equipment for children Teddy's age."

"Muggle park?" Lucius asked, one eyebrow raised. "Do you think that's wise given his tendency to change the color of his hair so often?"

"Well, yes, it's a muggle park," Hermione said. "But it's a quiet place, just like the neighborhood that surrounds it. I used to go there quite a lot just to be by myself for awhile after Ron first died and I'd see a lot of parents bringing their little ones there." After a pause, she added, "And I can put a disillusioning charm on Teddy's hair so the muggles won't notice a thing. It's such a beautiful day and it would be shame to keep Teddy inside all day."

"All right, then," Lucius agreed. "We should tire him out so he won't give us any trouble at bedtime. I well remember Draco wanting to stay up until midnight at that age, if he'd not had enough activity during the day."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Hermione said with a laugh.

"After the park, we can take him to Diagon Alley to the toy store. That should keep him occupied once we return home," Lucius decided.

"I'd also like to make a stop at Flourish and Blotts as well," Hermione told him. "You know I can't pass a bookstore without going in."

A short time later, Teddy and the Malfoys were ready to go. Lucius and Hermione had transfigured into muggle clothes: Lucius, in a black t-shirt, tight blue jeans, and black leather trainers and Hermione in a cheerful yellow sundress and sandals. Hermione had cast a disillusionment charm on Teddy's hair, so that muggles would see him as an ordinary baby. After Lucius transfigured a chair into a stroller, they stepped out onto the balcony, then apparated behind a group of bushes in a remote area of the park.

As Lucius and Hermione walked through the park in the direction of the playground, they saw muggles of all ages out enjoying the beautiful day. Lucius preened as he noticed the appreciative glances from several muggle women as they neared the play area, his long blond hair swaying gently in the light breeze. Hermione sighed, but she was by now used to the attention her mate attracted from other women.

"Let's put him on a baby swing first," Hermione decided as they reached the playground, indicating a row of baby swings with a sweep of her hand.

After Lucius had set Teddy into the swing, Hermione buckled him in. "You have to push him yourself," Hermione whispered in his ear. "No wand waving!"

"You sound just like Severus," Lucius muttered, then laughed when he saw Hermione's sour expression at the notion of being compared to Severus Snape.

After Lucius began to push Teddy, Hermione took a seat on the bench directly behind the swings. As she listened to Teddy's squeals of delight, she admired how Lucius looked in muggle attire. Watching him push the swing, she noticed the now-faded Dark Mark on his left arm, and realized that it was even more faded than when they'd first gotten together. Lucius had told her that it would eventually disappear altogether and Hermione could hardly wait for that day to arrive, when neither of them would be reminded of his unfortunate dark past.

A few minutes later, Lucius removed Teddy from the swing. He turned to Hermione and asked, "What next?"

She looked around and spied a sandbox a short distance away, which had one muggle boy about Teddy's age sitting in it. "How about the sandbox?" she suggested. "Then you can sit on the bench with me for awhile as he plays."

"Good idea," Lucius agreed readily. "I'd like to sit down for awhile."

Lucius hesitated before setting Teddy down next to the muggle boy. The habits of a lifetime died hard, he thought to himself as he overcame his natural aversions to muggles and placed him by the boy, repressing his instinctive shudder as he did so.

The muggle boy's mother was seated on a bench opposite from the one Hermione had chosen. About ten years older than Hermione, she smiled at Lucius when he placed Teddy down by her son.

"That's a handsome little boy you have there," the woman said kindly, smiling up at Lucius. Noticing Hermione, she added, "And you're expecting again!"

"This is our nephew," he replied in a curt tone, a bit put out by the muggle woman's blunt implications about his and Hermione's fertility. "We are expecting our first child."

"Oh, I see," the woman said, somewhat abashed, catching the irritation in Lucius' tone. She fell silent and returned to her book as Lucius moved to join Hermione on the bench.

His momentary irritation with the muggle woman forgotten, Lucius sat watching Teddy intently as he played contentedly with the muggle boy.

Following her mate's gaze, Hermione said, "Just think! A little more than a year from now and we'll be watching our own child playing in the park. I can hardly wait."

"It seems like only yesterday that Draco was this young," Lucius said, heaving a loud sigh.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, wondering about the sigh.

"I was just thinking of what Teddy might be facing as he grows up," Lucius told her. He glanced over at the muggle woman who wasn't paying them any attention, but discreetly mumbled the _Muffliato_ spell anyway before proceeding further. "Nymphadora Tonks was quite irresponsible to bring a child into the world sired by a known werewolf. I can't imagine what she was thinking."

"She loved Remus Lupin," Hermione said quietly. "I knew them both fairly well. They were good people."

"I'm not questioning their characters or their feelings for one another," Lucius explained, his tone somewhat impatient. "Nor did I have anything personal against Lupin. But love doesn't conquer quite everything. It's one thing for her to marry him and throw her own life away, but it's quite another for her to knowingly bring a child in the world who has a strong possibility of inheriting such a debilitating handicap. Selfish, really." Looking back at Teddy again, "If he's inherited it, he's got a very difficult life ahead of him."

"Teddy is safe," Hermione told him firmly. "He won't get it."

"How do you know that?" Lucius said. "Divination?"

Hermione snorted at the notion of her practicing Divination. "No, research," she replied. "Not long after the end of the war, when I had a lot of time on my hands, I researched about the heritability of lycanthropy. I don't know if you know this, but Bill Weasley was bitten by Fenrir Greyback and though he's not become a werewolf...so far...he and his wife Fleur were concerned about whether any of their children would become werewolves. I did some research and found out that lycanthropy is rarely inherited and when it is, it always comes dowh through the female line." Patting Lucius on the hand, she concluded, "So, Teddy won't become a werewolf."

"Well, that's one good thing," he conceded. "But it still doesn't excuse Miss Tonks, as I'd imagine she'd not done the research before getting pregnant. She simply didn't stop to consider the possible consequences."

"No, I don't imagine she did," Hermione agreed gravely, though she had to stifle a laugh. "But I suppose it doesn't matter now, as Teddy is fine."

"In spite of, rather than because of, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, Lucius grumbled. Taking Hermione's hand, he murmured, "Let's forget about them for awhile and just enjoy the day."

"All right," Hermione replied. For several minutes they sat in companionable silence, watching Teddy's antics as he played with the muggle boy. Hermione began to feel a bit drowsy and ended up laying her head against Lucius' shoulder. He responded by wrapping one arm around her shoulders and pulling her close, both feeling relaxed and contented.

__  
A/N Happy holidays to all my readers and reviewers!  
A/N New blog entry, "A Couple Of Lucius Filks". My blog can be accessed through my profile.  
A/N Next Chapter: Fits and Lullabies


	56. Fits and Lullabies

As Lucius and Hermione relaxed on the park bench, Harry and Ginny Potter entered the park from the Grimmauld Place side. The Potters had been taking daily walks in the park ever since Ginny's gynohealer had told her that walking was an excellent exercise for expectant mothers and would assist her to get back into shape more quickly once the baby was born.

"Let's ride on the swings today," Ginny said playfully to Harry as they walked further into the park. "That's always a lot of fun."

"Anything you say," Harry said agreeably.

He himself did not have all that fond of a memory of swings, as it reminded him of his childhood with the Dursleys, when he'd often fled to the sanctuary of the playground near their home to get away from his abusive muggle relatives. But he was happy to indulge Ginny's fascination with muggle playground equipment and hoped to completely erase the bad memories by the time their son was born.

As they passed behind the baby play area to get to the adult-sized swings, Ginny's head snapped around when she heard a familiar low and velvety, yet haughty voice. Her eyes narrowed as they fell upon the sight of Lucius Malfoy and Hermione sitting on a bench a short distance away from the path, facing away from them. She snorted at the sight of the imperious pureblood wizard dressed in muggle clothing.

Harry followed her gaze and sighed. In a low voice, he urged, "Just ignore them. Let's just move along and forget about them."

It was of no use, however, as Ginny paid Harry no attention. She stalked over to the Malfoys under a full head of steam, ready to give them a piece of her mind.

"What are _**you**_ doing here?" she hissed, hands on hips, glaring down at couple on the bench. "Don't you know this is a muggle park? Aren't you afraid of soiling your precious pureblood arse by catching muggle germs? Isn't there anywhere where I can get away from seeing your smug face?"

"I beg your pardon," Lucius said in a frosty voice. "This is a free country and I'll go anywhere I please."

"But why this particular park?" Ginny demanded. "There are parks all over London." Whirling on Hermione, she accused, "You told him where we live, didn't you? You were supposed to keep it a secret!"

"Your place of residence is hardly a secret," Lucius pointed out. "You must remember that it was once the property of the Black family and that I've been a visitor there many times."

"Then what are you doing here?" the red-haired witch insisted.

"If you really must know," Hermione said, her voice dripping icicles, "We've brought Teddy Lupin here to play. We're babysitting him for the week." She indicated where the little wizard was sitting with a sweep of her hand. "I didn't think we needed to ask your permission to enter this neighborhood."

"I'm sorry, Hermione, Lucius," Harry said, his tone a bit desperate. Turning back to Ginny, he urged, "Why don't we just go say hello to Teddy before we go?" with a stress on the word "go".

Taking Ginny's hand, he pulled her toward the sandbox. "Hello, Teddy!" Harry said, reaching down to pick up the little boy, who went to him willingly. "You've grown so much since the last time I went to see you."

Ginny allowed herself to be distracted from Lucius and Hermione as she joined Harry at the sandbox. Still feeling uncomfortable, however, she only briefly paid attention to Teddy before saying, "Let's _go_, Harry. Lucius Malfoy in muggle clothes staring at me really gives me the creeps."

Suppressing his urge to tell his wife that she'd brought it on herself, he merely said, "Ok, let's go." He set Teddy back down into the sandbox, telling him, "I'll come to see you soon, mate." After giving the Malfoys a perfunctory nod, he quickly led Ginny away.

"I think we should be going as well," Lucius remarked. "I think I've had enough of muggle London for one day."

Biting back her urge to tell Lucius that muggles weren't the ones who had just caused the problem, she said, "Yes, let's go do the toy store, then go back home. I could use a little nap."

Later that night, when Hermione and Lucius were getting ready for bed, Hermione remarked, "I'm so knackered. I never realized that taking care of a little one was so much work, even with the help of a house elf." She'd taken a short nap after they'd first returned from their outing, but now was ready for a full night's sleep.

"I have to admit that Teddy is a handful," Lucius said, sitting on the side of the bed brushing out his long hair. "I thought Breezy was going to have a nervous breakdown when Teddy began throwing his food at her."

"I hope our daughter doesn't do that," Hermione said

"She might," Lucius said. "But not necessarily. Draco wasn't a food thrower, but he found plenty of other ways to get into trouble. All children do; it's their way of testing their boundaries, and it's up to us to show them what those boundaries are. Childhood is a constant time of testing and learning appropriate boundaries of behavior." He patted her hand, then said, "Don't worry. I'm quite sure you'll be up to the task."

"I hope you're right," she said dubiously.

"You just have to take it a day at a time," he told her. Yawning, he slipped into bed and gathered Hermione into his arms. "Let me help you get to sleep," he murmured seductively, as he planted a trail of kisses along the side of her neck.

"Mmmm," Hermione murmured, losing herself in his embrace.

They made love at an unhurried pace, after which Hermione promptly fell asleep, exhausted. Lucius remained awake for awhile longer, then began to doze, lying on his side.

About an hour later, Lucius was awakened by the sound of Teddy whimpering in his room. He heard the elf, Binky, murmuring to him, trying to sooth him, but Teddy only fussed more.

Afraid that the increasing volume of Teddy's displeasure would awaken Hermione, Lucius got out of bed to deal with the problem himself. Throwing a robe over his pajama bottoms, he remembered how Draco would sometimes be unresponsive to his elf's care and needed the attention of one of his parents in order to settle down and go to sleep.

He slipped quietly out of the bedroom and padded down the hall to the nursery. As he entered the room, he found a harried Binky, frantically trying to quieten the little wizard.

"Binky is sorry, Master Lucius!" cried the little elf as soon as she saw the imperious blond wizard standing in the doorway. Placing Teddy back into the crib, she vowed, "Binky must punish herself!" She picked up a table lamp and began beating herself about the head with it.

"Stop that, this instant!" Lucius growled. "You're only making him more upset, you stupid elf!"

After the hapless elf complied, Lucius told her curtly, "Go to the kitchen and make him some warm milk. I will watch him until you return."

As soon as Binky had left, Lucius went to the crib and picked up the still-whining Teddy. Wrapping him in a blanket, he carried him to the rocking chair, then sat down with the child on his lap.

"Did you have a bad dream, hmm?" Lucius murmured in a gentle voice, stroking Teddy's hair. "That's all it was -- a dream. You're safe now."

Teddy's sniffling subsided, but he still looked as if he would burst into tears at any moment.

"You miss your grandmother, don't you?" Lucius said softly. "Don't worry, she'll be home soon."

The little boy was entranced by Lucius' velvety voice, but seemed in no way ready to settle down and go to sleep.

Sighing loudly, Lucius employed the last weapon in his arsenal, one that always had worked with Draco. He began to sing Teddy a lullaby, looking down into his small trusting face as he did so.

Teddy immediately began to relax as Lucius began to sing and when Binky returned with the warm milk, Lucius waved her off, indicating that she should keep it warm until he was ready for it.

Down the hall, Hermione woke up to go pee. The further she got along in her pregnancy, the more often she had to get up during the night to use the bathroom. As she slipped into her dressing gown, she thought she heard music. Wondering if she'd left the wizarding wireless on, she headed out into the hall to turn it off.

When she reached the door to Teddy's room, she realized it was Lucius. Singing. She looked inside the room and found him sitting in the rocking chair with Teddy, softly crooning a lullaby to him.

A tear sprang unbidden to her eyes at the sight of it. "You never fail to surprise me, Lucius Malfoy," Hermione said softly with a smile. Moving to stand by him, she leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I love you more with each passing day."

Lucius smiled up at her, while continuing to sing. After a few moments, he stopped. "Shh, he's finally asleep," he whispered, as he rose gingerly from the chair. A moment later, he carefully set Teddy back down then carefully covered him with the blanket.

They both stood silently looking down at the peacefully sleeping child, both imagining their own child who would be occupying the crib in a few month's time. Finally, Lucius wrapped his arm around Hermione, then murmured into her ear, "Let's go to bed."

Leaving Teddy in the care of Binky, the expectant couple slipped noiselessly from the room, silently closing the door behind them.

--  
A/N I hope everyone had a good holiday and that 2009 will be a joyful and prosperous year for everyone.  
A/N There's a new photo of Jason and Emma on my blog, which can be accessed through my profile  
A/N Next chapter: Minerva McGonagall's Woes


	57. Minerva McGonagall's Woes

Minerva McGonagall had always enjoyed summers at Hogwarts. Since her husband's death some thirty years before, she'd spent her summers at the castle, along with the other teachers who did not have family commitments to take them away from the school. Her two grown children, a son and a daughter, lived in the United States and Canada, so Minerva did not see them often, as they were busy with their own families and careers.

With the students away for three months, life at Hogwarts typically proceeded at a slower, more relaxed pace. For the last thirty years, Minerva had been working on and off on a book about her experiences as an Animagus, but had never come close to finishing it, as school responsibilities and the lure of lazy summers had always interfered.

In summers past, Minerva, along with her two best friends, Poppy Pomfrey and Pomona Sprout would go on holiday to the south of France or to Italy, but Minerva didn't feel quite up to it this year. The last two years of the war had taken their toll on her and now, a year after the end of the war, she felt her age rather keenly. Though her mind was as sharp as ever, her movements were slower and her patience level diminished. She hoped that this summer would be one of rest and rejuvenation, so that she would be able to face yet another school year with positive energy to spare.

Early one morning about three weeks after the end of term, she awakened feeling especially stiff and creaky. After taking an extra-long shower, she slowly made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Minerva was glad that breakfast was served one hour later during the summer than it was during the school year.

As she took her place at the table and began to serve herself, Poppy Pomfrey leaned over and said, "Don't forget, Minerva, that today is your annual physical. I've already done the rest of the staff, so I'll expect you this afternoon."

"I'll be there," she said tersely, not looking forward to this particular obligation. She'd always hated going to see healers and avoided them whenever possible.

At two o'clock, Minerva McGonagall reluctantly made her way to the infirmary to get the physical over with, grumbling to herself as she opened the heavy doors.

"You're late!" Poppy Pomfrey scolded when Minerva walked through the door. I expected you an hour ago!"

"I'm sorry," the Headmistress told her. "I was absorbed in the new Transfiguration journal that came by owl earlier today."

"Well, you're here now," Poppy said briskly. "So let's get started." Indicating the examining table she said, "Have a seat there and I'll be with you in a moment." The healer disappeared through a door.

Minerva eased herself onto one end of the examination table as she undid the clasps on her robe. The healer was gone for several minutes and Minerva began to feel vaguely impatient, wanting Poppy to reappear and get on with it already. She had a week's worth of _Daily Prophet_s in her quarters to catch up on and the sooner that Poppy returned, the sooner she could settle into her favorite chair and read them.

Poppy Pomfrey finally returned, wielding a medium-sized wand. "I had to get my diagnostic wand," she explained. "This one is made of ash and it works better during examinations than my everyday wand."

"I understand," McGonagall said, as she had several different wands made out of different woods with varying cores that she used for specialized transfiguration work.

"Well!" the other woman said. "Shall we get on with it?"

"By all means," the Headmistress replied, sighing.

Both women were silent for the next few minutes as Poppy ran her wand over every part of Minerva's body, as she muttered various spells. The wand generated different colors over various parts of Minerva's body after each spell and, as the examination went on, the healer's facial expression grew more serious.

Noticing the deepening of Poppy's frown, Minerva finally demanded, "Well? What is it?"

The healer sighed loudly before responding. Finally, she said, "It's your heart, Minerva. You're not healing as quickly or completely from the four stunners you took on the day Albus was killed. If you want to completely recover and live to be a ripe old age, you'll need to slow down and live a less stressful life." Looking at her friend and colleague with genuine concern, "I recommend that you retire as soon as possible. You could continue on for another year or two, but beyond that the damage could be irreparable."

Minerva McGonagall sat silently for a few long moments, looking profoundly shaken. "I see," she eventually said. "It would seem as if I have much to think about. And I will have to carefully weigh my options before I would seriously consider retiring,"

"At the very least, you should take it easy as much as you can this summer," the healer urged. "But I'd not wait too long to make the decision if I were you."

"I'd always planned to stay on for as long as it took to help the students over the transition from all the turmoil of the last few years back into normal school life," Minerva said, her voice trailing off.

"I know," the other woman said sympathetically. "And you've done marvellously so far. "But no one is indispensable, Minerva. There are plenty of others here devoted to the same goal. And you wouldn't be doing the students any good if you work yourself into an early grave."

"You're right," she conceded. "But I still have to think it over. This school has been my entire life for over thirty years. It's what enabled me to go on after Jim died."

"There are plenty of useful things you could do if you retire," Poppy pointed out. "Retirement doesn't have to mean spending the rest of your life locked up in the house sitting in a rocking chair."

"I realized that," the other woman said in a faintly testy tone. "It's just that I expected to teach here for at least another 25 years. To reconsider my plans now will take a bit of getting used to."

She stood up then, refastening her outer robe. "I believe I'm going to go to my quarters now and catch up on some reading, then perhaps take a nap before dinner."

"I'm sorry, Minerva," Poppy told her. "I wish I'd had better news for you."

A short time later, Minerva McGonagall entered her quarters and slowly eased herself down into an overstuffed chair near a window that overlooked the school grounds. A stack of _Daily Prophets_ from the last three weeks sat waiting for her in the magazine rack by her chair.

After ordering a pot of tea from one of the kitchen elves, she settled in with the newspapers. Perhaps they would distract her for a few hours, enough so that she's be able to consider her future in a more calm frame of mind. She slowly browsed through each one, skimming headlines, only stopping to read the articles with the most interesting headlines.

She read for a couple of hours, then glanced up at the clock. Dinner was in twenty minutes, which was just enough time to go through one more paper.

As she read the first headline, her jaw dropped in stunned surprise, with the paper falling out of her hands and fluttering to the floor.

_Lucius Malfoy Re-appointed To the Hogwarts Governors Board_

After picking the paper up from the floor and quickly scanning the pertinent details in the article below, she whispered to itself, "No, it can't be!"

Putting her face in her hands, she briefly imagined the next year of being Headmistress and having to deal with the haughty Lucius Malfoy interfering with her authority at every turn. She well remembered what a living hell he'd made for Albus over the years and she wanted no part of it.

That was it. Lucius Malfoy had unwittingly made her decision for her. She decided then and there that she was going to retire, as she'd be damned before she spent her remaining years as an educator dealing with the likes of Lucius Malfoy.

Going to her desk, she reached for a quill and parchment to immediately write her letter of resignation before she lost her nerve. She didn't have any idea of how she'd spend her time after retirement, but she still owned the cottage she and her husband had occupied in Hogsmeade, so she'd have a place to stay while she considered her next step. She knew one thing, however. Anything she'd end up doing would be better than having to contend with Lucius Malfoy's meddling.

As soon as she finished writing the letter, she immediately called for a house elf to take it to the owlery fo send off, then headed to the Great Hall to inform the staff of her decision.

--  
A/N First chapter of the new year! I hope everyone has a great 2009  
A/N New blog entry: Lucius and Hermione Artwork. My blog can be accessed through my profile  
A/N Next Chapter: Meeting of the Hogwarts Governors' Board.


	58. Reactions

A/N: I've changed the title of this chapter from_ A Meeting of the Hogwarts Governors_' Board to_ Reactions_. The meeting will come in the next chapter  
-------

The entire Hogwarts' staff, Poppy Pomfrey included, sat in stunned silence that night at dinner, following Minerva McGonagall's surprise announcement about her retirement.

But it was Poppy who regained her use of speech first and asked, "What made you change your mind? When you left me, you weren't at all convinced that you wanted to retire."

"Lucius Malfoy," Minerva grated out.

"Sorry?" Poppy responded, baffled.

"I read in the _Daily Prophet_ that Lucius Malfoy has been re-appointed to the Governor's Board," she clarified. "I'm afraid that I no longer have the patience, nor the inclination to deal with that man on a regular basis."

"Now that Draco has graduated, I can't imagine Lucius would be monitoring Hogwarts all that closely any more," the other woman pointed out.

"You seem to forget that he's started a second family with Hermione Granger," Minerva told her. "I imagine that he'll be keeping a very close eye on Hogwarts -- why else would he have gone to the trouble of getting himself re-appointed to the board?"

"I hadn't thought of that," the healer said. "You're right, of course."

"He may not be a Death Eater any longer," Minerva groused. "But he'll always be an arrogant git."

Horace Slughorn greeted Minerva McGonagall's announcement with great interest. Ever since his meeting with Lucius Malfoy several weeks before, he'd kept in touch with his former student as they exchanged ideas on how best to improve both Hogwarts in general and Slytherin in particular.

The Slytherin had expected an unpleasant, extended campaign to impose retirement on the Gryffindor witch, so he was gladly surprised to learn that such a scenario had been averted, without either he nor Lucius having to play their hands. Truly fond of his colleague as well, he was glad she would be able to retire with dignity.

As soon as he could do so politely, Slughorn excused himself so he could go owl Lucius with the news of this turn of events. The old wizard knew that the younger wizard would waste no time setting his plan in motion once he heard the news of McGonagall's impending retirement.

---

"What would you like to do this evening?" Lucius asked Hermione as the couple lingered over tea after dinner.

"I really didn't have anything in mind, actually," she replied, yawning languidly. "Is there anything you might care to do?"

"I thought we might play a game of wizard chess, then perhaps take a stroll on Diagon Alley," Lucius suggested. "The walk will do you good and you'll sleep better tonight."

"That sounds good," Hermione said agreeably. "Just as long as you and I have a bit more 'exercise' once we go to bed."

"But, of course, my dear," Lucius said, giving her a wicked grin. "I look forward to it."

As Lucius and Hermione entered the library a few minutes later, they noticed two owls waiting for them at the window.

"I'll deal with them," Lucius told her. "Go have a seat and I'll be right with you."

Hermione took a seat by the chess board, while Lucius went to the window to relieve both birds of their burdens. After handing each owl a treat he shooed them off before closing the window.

After taking a seat opposite Hermione, he opened the first message and quickly read it to himself. A smile slowly spread across his face as he read.

"What is it?" Hermione asked. "Good news?"

"Very much so," Lucius replied. "It's from Horace Slughorn. It seems as if Minerva McGonagall has suddenly decided to retire -- she announced it to the staff this evening."

"That's a shock," Hermione observed. "Did Professor Slughorn say why she decided to retire?"

"No, but he promised to give more particulars later," Lucius said. "I'm quite pleased. With her deciding to retire on her own, I'll be spared the unpleasantness of having to persuade the other Board members to ask her to step down. The fact that she did so of her own accord will make it easier for me to promote Horace as the next Headmaster."

"Who is the second letter from?" Hermione asked.

Setting aside Slughorn's note, Lucius opened the other letter and quickly scanned it. "It's from Amos Diggory," he said briefly. "He's the chairman of the Governor's Board. It's an official notification of McGonagall's retirement." After reading a bit further, he elaborated, "He's called a meeting of the board for tomorrow night, so we can get a new Headmaster appointed before school begins again in the fall."

"Luna, Millicent, and I had planned to go shopping tomorrow night, so that works out pretty well," Hermione said, then confessed, "Although I'd give anything to be a fly on the wall during that meeting."

"Yes, I quite imagine you would," Lucius said with a knowing chuckle. "But I'll be sure to give you a complete report once I return home."

Rising from his chair, Lucius walked over to his desk. "I'm going to owl Andromeda and ask her to come over here while I give a floo call to Slughorn," he told Hermione.

Fifteen minutes later, Andromeda Tonks arrived with Teddy in tow. The little boy, remembering the good time he'd recently had with Lucius and Hermione immediately made himself at home.

"Why don't I take Teddy to the nursery and play with him while you and Andromeda talk to Professor Slughorn," Hermione suggested, reaching her arms out for the little boy.

Giving her a gentle kiss, Lucius murmured, "Why don't you have Breezy take care of him? You might want to listen in on the conversation."

"Oh, you can give me the highlights later," Hermione said. "I really don't mind watching Teddy at all and it will allow Breezy to serve you and Andromeda some refreshments." After giving Lucius a kiss, she excused herself to Andromeda, then took Teddy out of the room.

As soon as Hermione had left the room with Teddy, Lucius turned to Andromeda and said, "Shall we see what Horace has to say?"

A couple of moments later, Horace Slughorn's head appeared in the fireplace. "Hello, Lucius, Andromeda," the old man said affably. "After sending you that owl, I kind of expected to hear from you tonight."

"Your news did come as quite a pleasant surprise," Lucius pointed out. "Considering that we won't need to wage a campaign to get McGonagall to retire, our timetable to implement our plans for improving Hogwarts has been considerably shortened."

"Professor McGonagall's decision to retire seems rather sudden," Andromeda put in. "Do you know why she chose to retire at this particular time?"

Slughorn chuckled briefly before replying. Looking at Lucius, he said, "It seems as if you are the inspiration for her sudden retirement, Lucius."

"Me?" Lucius was baffled.

"It seems as if her decision to retire came shortly after she read the article in the _Daily Prophet_ about you being re-appointed to the Governors' Board," Slughorn explained. "She'd had her yearly physical earlier today and Poppy Pomfrey had given her a bad report, advising her to retire soon. Minerva was undecided about doing so until she read that article. Knowing she'd be having to deal with you apparently was the straw that broke the camel's back for her."

Lucius laughed heartily at this. "Well, it seems as if I had something to do with her retirement after all."

"I heard her and Poppy talking at the dinner table about it," Slughorn continued. "Minerva referred to you as an 'insufferable arrogant git'."

Lucius laughed again, but was unsurprised, as he was well aware of the starchy Gryffindor educator's opinion of him. Moving on, he asked, "How are the other professors taking the news? Do any of them seem as if they want the Headmaster position?"

"As you probably know, Filius Flitwick has been Deputy Headmaster since Minerva took over from Albus," Slughorn said. "But I don't think he's particularly interested in becoming Headmaster. I've heard him say many times that he came to Hogwarts to teach, not to be an administrator."

"What about the others?" Lucius prodded.

"Pomona Sprout has planned to retire within five years and she's already taken on Neville Longbottom as an assistant to train to replace her," Slughorn told him. "Trelawney and Hagrid are obviously unqualified for the post, and, as far as I know, the others have a similar outlook as Filius does about the job. It would seem as if I'll have a very good chance to be appointed, though I imagine some will try to persuade Filius to put his name in for it, anyway."

"It seems fairly promising, then," Lucius decided. "I'll not keep you any longer Horace. I'll be in touch after the meeting tomorrow and I'll let you know which way the wind is blowing."

"And I'll be working on what to say when the Board interviews me," the elderly wizard promised.

"If I were you, I'd also be planning on how you want to redecorate the Headmaster's office as well," Lucius told him. "For I promise to make sure that it's yours very soon."

---  
A/N Arsinoe de Blassenville has made the 700th comment! Many thanks to her and all my readers for their attention to this story.  
A/N New blog post, _Malfoy Manor in Winter_. The blog can be accessed through my profile page.  
A/N Next Chapter: _A Meeting of the Hogwarts Governors' Board.  
_


	59. A Meeting of the Governors' Board

Late the next afternoon, Hermione and Lucius, along with Narcissa and Andromeda, were eating an early dinner in the most exclusive restaurant in Diagon Alley. Draco and Luna, along with Millicent Bultrode and Greg Goyle had joined them, as the three younger women planned to go shopping together after the meal. Draco and Greg had tickets to a Quidditch match that evening to see the Tutshill Tornadoes vs the Holyhead Harpies. Narcissa would be returning to Malfoy Manor to care for Teddy, while Andromeda accompanied Lucius to the meeting.

As the group enjoyed a fine meal, Lucius briefly spoke of what he hoped to accomplish at the Governors meeting. Looking at the two couples, he said, "Quite frankly, I seek to end the Gryffindor domination of Hogwarts. It's gone on for far too long and it's time that all houses had an equal footing. Though both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have been shunted to the side in favor of the 'glory' of Gryffindor, Slytherin has especially suffered under the Gryffindor bias, serving as their default scapegoat."

The three Slytherins at the table nodded wearily in agreement with Lucius' words, and even Luna frowned at what he said, remembering how much Ravenclaw had been overlooked during her time in school in favor of Gryffindor.

"I would have liked for Ravenclaw to have won the house cup just once during the seven years I was there," Luna said quietly.

Lucius favored the young woman with one of his rare smiles. "Yes, dear, exactly," he said. "With all the intellectual achievers in Ravenclaw, it would have seemed that Ravenclaw should have won several times."

Hermione sat quietly, pondering Lucius' words to Luna. During her Hogwarts years, she'd never questioned why Gryffindor always seemed to win the house cup; she had been simply glad that it had been her house that had won. But after Lucius spoke, she was also wondering why Ravenclaw hadn't been a frequent winner, considering the level of scholastic achievement Ravenclaw was known for.

"The war is over and the wizarding world needs to move on," Lucius said, continuing with his original thought. "Slytherin needs to be seen as a house like any other and we need to leave the shadow of the Dark Lord behind. If Slytherin continues to be stigmatised as the "Dark House", then future Slytherins will simply be ripe for the next dark lord who comes along."

The conversation then moved on to lighter topics, as Luna and Millicent began to compare their progress on planning for their respective weddings, which would both take place in the coming fall. Hermione was glad that both weddings would be held after Lucinda was born, as she'd been invited to be an attendant in both weddings and didn't want to waddle down the aisle in either wedding big as a house from pregnancy. She still had a couple of months to go before giving birth, but she was ready to do it now, as she was sick of being pregnant.

As the women chatted about weddings, the men talked Quidditch. Finally, Lucius checked the time and saw that he was running late. Turning to Hermione, he said, "I need to go if I'm to make the meeting on time."

"Oh, I hadn't realized the time," she replied. "Listening to Luna and Millicent distracted me."

"No doubt," Lucius said dryly, rising from the table. After excusing himself from the group, he kissed Hermione and Narcissa in turn and told them to stay as long as they wanted, as the bill had already been paid. With no further ado, he hurried off with Andromeda to apparate to Hogsmeade. The meeting was to be held in a private room of the Three Broomsticks.

A few moments later, the two walked into the Three Broomsticks, where most of the governors had already arrived and were enjoying pre-meeting drinks. Heads turned and voices buzzed as the haughty wizard and his sister in law entered the establishment. Reactions had been mixed among the group when the news of Lucius' reappointment to the board was announced, but all were by now resigned to working with him on the board.

Still, his arrival was not greeted with much enthusiasm. Lucius did not care; he wasn't there to make friends, but rather to make sure Hogwarts would be a school he'd continue to be proud to send his children and grandchildren to. There were those board members whose cooperation Lucius knew he could count on and knew he'd be able to persuade enough of the others to go along. So, despite the less than warm welcome, he casually strolled into the room, head held high, as if he owned the place.

As Lucius and Andromeda moved to enter the room where the meeting would be held, they found Mafalda Hopkirk, a former Hufflepuff, already in the room, conferring at a large, round table with the Board Chairman, fellow Hufflepuff Amos Diggory. Though, like Lucius, he no longer had children attending Hogwarts, he was a new grandfather by his daughter Celia, so he remained with the board in the interests of the next generation of his family.

Diggory nodded briefly in greeting to the two Slytherins, but Mafalda Hopkirk rose to greet them. "Mr Malfoy, Mrs Tonks, welcome to the board," she said, smiling up at Lucius. "I hear that you and Mrs Granger-Malfoy will soon be welcoming a child into your family."

"Yes," Lucius confirmed, smiling back at her. This was one board member he felt confident he could count on to vote his way. "Our daughter will be born some time in September."

"Wonderful!" Mafalda enthused. "I certainly hope you allow the _Daily Prophet_ to publish a photo of her.

"I can do better than that," he told her. "I will be sure to send you a photo by owl after the baby is born."

"Thank you," she said. "I look forward to seeing it."

Amos Diggory glanced up at the friendly exchange with some irritation. Though he and Malfoy had never had anything personal against one another, he was quite uncomfortable with the ex-Death Eater rejoining the Governor's Board. Though he knew that Malfoy had not personally killed his son, just knowing that the Lucius Malfoy had been present when Cedric was killed was enough to make him feel uncomfortable with the erstwhile Death Eater. Nevertheless, he was determined to move on and try to work with Malfoy to improve Hogwarts.

A few minutes later, the rest of the governors filed into the room, ready to begin the meeting. Lucius and Andromeda seated themselves at the places designated for them by place cards on the table. As the others took their seats, Lucius noted that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff each had three people representing them, but Gryffindor had four representatives. Lucius made a mental note to find some way in the future to get rid of one Gryffindor representative and to replace that member with a Slytherin, so all four houses would be equally represented.

"Is everyone here?" Amos Diggory asked, looking around. When he was satisfied that all were present, he said, "The meeting will come to order. I'm sure you've all heard that Minerva McGonagall has resigned as Headmistress of Hogwarts. So, the purpose of this meeting will be to suggest candidates to replace Headmistress McGonagall." Looking around again, he asked, "Do we have any suggestions?"

Prudence Clearwater raised her hand to speak.

"Yes, Mrs Clearwater?" Diggory acknowledged.

"I'd like to recommend Filius Flitwick to be the next Headmaster," she said primly. "He's already Deputy Headmaster and he's given Hogwarts many years of devoted and competent service."

"All right, that's one nomination for Filius Flitwick," Diggory noted. "Are there any others?"

Gesturing slightly with his right hand, Lucius said, "I would like to nominate Horace Slughorn. He is an esteemed professor with many decades of experience. He is also well-known as a mentor of students in all houses, and he is well-respected in wizarding society. Plus he would have the added benefit of being uniquely qualified to help Slytherin House move beyond its dark reputation."

"A reputation that he helped to perpetuate!" Seamus McLaggen, a Gryffindor governor, said in a stage whisper to his fellow Gryffindor sitting next to him, who nodded in agreement.

Lucius ignored the rude interjection, as did Amos Diggory. "That's a second nomination; this time for Horace Slughorn. Anyone else?"

The third Hufflepuff governor hesitantly raised her hand, waiting for the chairman to acknowledge her.

"Yes? Did you have a nomination?"

"I don't want to nominate anyone, but, rather, I thought it would be more fair if we placed an ad in the _Daily Prophet_, asking for outside applicants," the woman said. "I know it's never been done that way before..." Her voice trailed off.

"That's a rather..._interesting_...idea," Lucius broke in, raising an eyebrow, his lip slightly curled. "But I believe that time is of the essence, considering that summer is half over and the new school year begins on September first. We need to choose a new Headmaster without delay, so that he or she can be adequately prepared to assume their new role when the new term begins in September. We simply do not have the time, nor the luxury, of going through a lengthy application and interview process. We currently have two fully qualified candidates nominated, so I suggest that we interview each of them at the earliest opportunity and get on with it. Let us not forget that we'll also have to be searching for a new professor for either Potions or Charms as well."

"I'm afraid I'll have to concur with Mr Malfoy," Amos Diggory said. "All those who agree that we need to stick with the traditional practice of choosing within the current faculty, please raise your hands."

Ten people raised their hands.

"Opposed?"

The remaining two raised their hands, even though it was now a moot point.

"That's settled, then," Diggory decided. "We'll be sticking to the traditional selection process for the Headmaster position. As soon as that position is filled, we will then advertise for the new professor needed. I will owl both candidates, notifying them of their nominations this evening. We will then have another meeting three days from now to interview each candidate." After a pause, he asked, "Any questions?"

No one spoke.

"In that case, the meeting is adjourned," Diggory said, banging his gavel.

---  
The end of the selection process was rather anticlimactic. Lucius never had to resort to any arm-twisting or turning on his persuasive charm in order to effect the desired result.

When told that he was being considered for the Headmaster position, Filius Flitwick immediately withdrew his name, citing that he was at Hogwarts to teach, not to be an administrator. He was willing to continue as Deputy Headmaster, but not advance to Headmaster, as that would take too much time from his primary duty of educating the next generation.

And so, Horace Slughorn became the new Headmaster of Hogwarts by default, with little to no opposition.

--  
A/N Thanks once again to my wonderful readers and reviewers  
A/N Prudence Clearwater is Penelope's mother  
A/N Next Chapter: A Portrait of Closure


	60. A Portrait of Closure, Part I

Arthur Weasley found Ginny and Harry at the Burrow visiting one Friday afternoon as he arrived home after work. Molly was getting the evening meal ready as he stepped through the door.

After going over to give Molly a kiss, he said to the group, "I've got some news. It's not official yet, but it should be announced some time later this week." Pausing to note the expressions of anticipation on everyone's faces, he continued, "The Ministry has decided to create a Memorial Room at Hogwarts, near the front entrance, to be dedicated to all those who gave their lives in the war.

"The room will contain portraits of all those who gave their lives fighting Voldemort. There will be a special section for those who died during the first war and another for those of the second," he explained. After another pause, he took Molly's hand and said quietly, "There will be portraits for Fred and Ron, plus for your brothers as well."

"Oh, my," Molly said, squeezing her husband's hand. "When will this happen?"

"There will be a dedication ceremony later this month," Arthur told her. "All family members and friends will get to see it first before they'll open it up to the general public."

"I'll need to get some things of Ron's and Fred's, and some from my brothers to supply to the artist to put into the portraits," she said, rising from her seat. Magical artists needed something that belonged to the subject of the portrait to incorporate into the painting in order for it to be capable of interacting with viewers.

After Molly had gone upstairs to collect what she needed, Ginny turned to her father and said, "I hope we'll be able to get copies of the portraits. I know George would want one of Fred to put up in the store; it would help him to feel less lonely and as if Fred was almost there with him."

"Perhaps, they'll allow selected family members to use a duplicating charm on the portraits," Arthur agreed. "I'll make sure to mention it to Kingsley when I see him tomorrow."

"I know I'll want one of Ron and Fred for Grimmauld Place," Ginny decided. "I wish we could get rid of that horrible portrait of Sirius' mother."

"I'm still working on that," Harry reminded her. "I'd like to get rid of it before the baby is born, as I know it's scary for little kids." He made a mental note to ask Lucius about that some time when he visited the penthouse. Perhaps he or his wife might have a clue about how to get rid of it.

At that moment, Molly called out from upstairs, "Ginny! Can you come up here and give me a hand?"

"Coming, Mum," Ginny said, then quickly left the room.

Arthur had opened the _Daily Prophet_ to read while he enjoyed a cup of tea, so Harry's thoughts began to wander as he drank a butterbeer. He thought about Hermione, that even though she was happy with Lucius now, she'd still want to pay her respects to Ron once she heard about the Memorial Room portraits. But he knew that the Weasleys would react badly if Hermione attended the dedication ceremony, something which Harry wished to avoid for the sakes of both Hermione and the family he'd married into.

"Arthur?" Harry said hesitantly.

"Hmm?" the older wizard replied, distracted. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm think I'm going to go over to see Hermione," he announced to his father in law. "I intend to persuade her to skip the dedication ceremony for the portraits. I know she'll want to pay her respects to Ron, and everyone else, but I'm going to try to talk her into going some other time. The dedication ceremony is for the family and I know it would ruin it for Molly and Ginny if they ran into Hermione."

"That's for sure," Arthur agreed, nearly shuddering at the thought of another public confrontation with Hermione. "Go ahead and do it now, while Ginny and her mother are busy. I'll tell Ginny you'll see her later."

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Harry said, meaning it. "I just wish Molly and Ginny would forgive Hermione."

"Maybe someday," Arthur said slowly. "But I wouldn't expect it any time soon if I were you."

Harry nodded, then said, "I'd better go and get it over with." Moving toward the door, "I'll apparate there, as I'm sure their floo isn't linked to yours."

A short time later, Harry was climbing the stairs to the Malfoy penthouse. He'd not taken the time to owl ahead to let Hermione he was coming, so he hoped she'd be at home and wouldn't have to deal with Lucius Malfoy without Hermione there to act as a buffer.

Breezy answered the door promptly after Harry knocked.

"Mr Harry," the small elf squeaked. "Mistress Hermione and Master Lucius aren't expecting you."

"I didn't owl ahead to let them know I was coming," Harry explained. "Please express my regrets to them for not doing so."

"Please come in," Breezy said. "Please wait in the front sitting room, while I see if Mistress Hermione is available. Master Lucius is not at home."

Harry did as the elf directed, but did not have to wait long. A few moments later, Hermione herself entered the room, smiling.

"Harry!" Hermione said, easing her pregnant bulk down into an easy chair. "What a nice surprise!" Turning to Breezy, she said, "Please bring us a pot of tea and some snacks."

After the elf hurried off to carry out Hermione's wishes, she turned back to Harry. "I can tell that you didn't come by just to pass the time of day with me," she said. "So, what's on your mind?"

"You know me too well," Harry admitted sheepishly. Getting to the point of his visit, he continued, "I heard some news tonight that I thought you should hear personally, rather than reading about it in the _Daily Prophet_. And I've a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?" she asked, leaning forward with curiosity.

"Yes, I'm rather curious myself." Both Hermione and Harry turned to see Lucius standing in the doorway.

"Lucius!" Hermione said. "When did you get home?"

"I just stepped through the library floo," he told her. "The meeting didn't take as long as I'd originally thought. I heard voices, so I came to investigate." Moving to take a seat by Hermione, he looked pointedly at Harry and said, "Do continue, Mr Potter."

"Er, ah, right." Harry said, a bit put off by the elder Malfoy's sudden appearance. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Mr Weasley came home from work today and told us that the Ministry is going to establish a Memorial Room at Hogwarts, dedicated to those who gave their lives in both the wars against Voldemort. As part of this memorial, there will be a portrait of every person who died." After a pause, to emphasize what he was getting at, he said, "There will be portrait of Ron."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Hermione said. "I'll have to go and pay my respects."

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," he said slowly. Gazing into her eyes, he said, "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you not go to the dedication ceremony, but go up there later to pay your respects? Molly and Ginny are totally irrational when it come to you, and I know there would be a scene if they saw you there."

Hermione did not reply at once, having mixed feelings about Harry's request.

Lucius, sensing his mate's discomfort, turned to her, taking her hand. "Mr Potter is absolutely right. The Weasley women could not help but instigate a loud confrontation, which would only serve to ruin the event for others. And you do not need such stress this late in your pregnancy."

"I suppose you're right," Hermione said reluctantly. "But I do want to pay my respects. I never got to say goodbye to Ron and this will be my chance."

"There will be plenty of time to do that later," Lucius assured her. "I think your visit would be more meaningful if you did so privately, anyway." He did not mention that it would be best if he also refrained from making an appearance, as his role in the last war would incite protest from more than just the Weasleys.

"That's true," Hermione said. Turning to Harry, she said, "All right, Harry. I'll skip the ceremony."

"Thanks for understanding," Harry said, obviously relieved. "It will be easier on Ginny as well, if her mother doesn't get her all worked up."

Lucius and Hermione exchanged glances at this, both thinking that Ginny was quite capable of getting herself all worked up over nothing without her mother's help, but they diplomatically remained silent.

Harry made small talk with the Malfoys for a few more minutes, even getting the proper spell from Lucius to unstick Mrs Black's portrait from the wall. But he excused himself as soon as it was polite to do so, as he didn't want Ginny to worry about him. He promised to call on Hermione as soon as his schedule permitted.

--  
A/N Thanks again to my readers and reviewers  
A/N This was originally one chapter but it got so long that I've divided it into two parts  
A/N Next chapter: A Portrait of Closure, Part II


	61. A Portrait of Closure, Part 2

Several weeks later, nearly all of those who'd been on the light side during the war with Voldemort turned out for the Dedication Ceremony. Kingsley Shacklebolt gave the dedication, praising all those "whose efforts had saved the wizarding community and the muggle world from slavery and genocide".

The dedication speech had been given in the Great Hall, after which attendees were invited to view the portraits in the dedication room. A dinner was to follow.

The Weasleys made a beeline for the section where the portraits of Fred and Ron were hung.

"Mum!" the portrait Ron said, grinning widely. He was dressed in his Quidditch uniform, with the Quidditch pitch in the background of the portrait. "It's so good to see all of you!"

Ron looked at the rest of his family gathered round, with George standing closest to the portrait of his twin. Noticing the heavily pregnant Ginny, he said, "So. You and Harry went ahead and got married, I see!"

"Yep," Harry confirmed, smiling. "We couldn't stand to wait."

"I've missed you so much," Molly said to her sons, her voice trembling with emotion. "We've ordered duplicates of your portraits for the Burrow, so we'll be able to talk whenever you like."

"And I'll have another of_ you_ for the joke shop," George told Fred's portrait. "You'll never be able to get rid of me!"

"I'm looking forward to harassing the customers," Fred said, smirking.

"Where's Hermione?" Ron said quietly to Harry, who was now directly in front of his friend's portrait. "I know she's not dead because her portrait isn't in this room."

"Er, ah, uh," Harry stammered, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Looking away from his friend, he mumbled, "Hermione couldn't be here today, mate. She really wanted to be here and told me to promise you that she'd be up to visit in a few days, but she had a prior engagement today."

Ron, puzzled and hurt, knew there was something his best friend wasn't telling him.

"What is it, Harry?" he demanded. "What's wrong with Hermione?"

"You might as well tell him, Harry," Ginny said, exasperated. "He's got to find out some time and better to hear it from you than from one of the other portraits."

"I suppose you're right," Harry agreed reluctantly. Turning back to Ron's portrait, he said slowly, "Well, you see, Hermione has moved on; she's got another man."

"Why should that be a problem?" Ron said. "It's not as if I would have ever expected her to spend the rest of her life pining away fof me. She should have brought him along so that I could meet him. Who is it, by the way? Is it anyone I know. Or is it a muggle and that's why she couldn't bring him?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged pained glances. They both knew he had a right to know, but neither could think of a good way to tell it.

"Who is it?" Ron demanded. "Tell me!" Noticing the sick expressions on their faces, Ron guessed, "Is it Malfoy? Is she with the ferret?"

"Err, you're half right," Harry reluctantly admitted. "It's Malfoy senior."

"Lucius bloody Malfoy!" Ron exploded. "How in the hell did that happen?"

"It's kind of a long story," Harry said, "But she's pregnant by him and has only got a few weeks to go before the baby is born."

Ron stood there stunned in his frame for a long moment. Finally, he croaked, "I think I'd like to be alone now, if you don't mind." Not waiting for the answer, he simply walked out of his frame, leaving only a blank Quidditch pitch in the background of the portrait.

Noticing a similarly stunned expression on Harry's face, Ginny said, "It couldn't be helped. He had to be told, and you did it as gently as you could. He'll get over it -- I'll bet he'll be spending a lot of time in his portrait at the Burrow talking to Mum."

After realizing that Ron wasn't about to come back to his portrait any time soon, Harry and Ginny moved along to visit with the other portraits. Though Harry had nice visits with the portraits of Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and his parents, his day was effectively ruined, as he couldn't get Ron's hangdog expression out of his mind.

---

Two days later, Lucius and Hermione came to Hogwarts to visit the Memorial Room. Hermione paused as she stood in the doorway, dreading the inevitable confrontation with Ron. Harry had owled her and told her that he'd ended up having to tell Ron about her and Lucius, because he didn't want Ron to find out from someone else who likely would have been much less diplomatic about it.

"Remember, it's just a portrait," Lucius reminded her. "It's not the real Ron."

"I know," Hermione said. "But it will have most of Ron's emotions. Harry told me that as soon as he told him about us, that the portrait Ron left his frame and wouldn't come back." Squaring back her shoulders, she said, "Well, time to face the music. This feeling will only get worse if I put it off."

Lucius squeezed her hand and murmured, "I'm right here for you."

Hermione squeezed back, looking up at him with love. Taking a deep breath, she moved into the room, toward the section where Harry had told her where Ron's portrait was.

The portrait Ron was busily eating a large sandwich as the Malfoys approached him. He didn't notice them at first, as he was intent on his meal.

Hermione timidly stepped up to the portrait, while Lucius remained discreetly in the background.

"Ron?" Hermione said hesitantly. "It's me, Hermione."

Ron's head jerked up at the sound of her voice. Eyes narrowed at the sight of her heavily pregnant figure, he said, "Oh, it's you. Finally decided to get out of bed with that git Lucius Malfoy and come see me, huh?"

Hearing this, Lucius smirked, then rolled his eyes in exasperation, but otherwise remained silent.

Hermione was temporarily rendered speechless, but Ron's smoldering anger finally burst forth, ending the brief silence.

"Why did you do it, Hermione?" Ron spat out. "I didn't expect you to moon over me for the rest of your life, but why did it have to be a Death Eater; Lucius fucking Malfoy! Did he use Imperius on you? Did he rape you? After all my family did for you, why did you have to betray them...and me...like that. And why isn't he in Azkaban where he belongs?"

Lucius rolled his eyes again, expecting no less from the spawn of Molly Weasley.

"First of all, Ronald Weasley," Hermione began, gaining a head of steam. "How dare you accuse me of even thinking of entering a relationship with someone who had raped me, let alone have his baby. You should know me better than that."

Knowing his consort had it well in hand, Lucius said, "I think I'll leave you two to work things out in private. I believe I'll go pay a call on Horace -- you can find me in his office when you're ready to go home."

Briefly acknowledging Lucius with a smile, she kissed him on the cheek, then whispered, "I'm fine now. I'll see you later".

Turning back to Ron, she continued in a somewhat softer tone, "Things have changed quite a bit since the end of the war. There's a lot about Lucius that you and your family don't know about. He regrets becoming a Death Eater, but I'll not bore you with the details, except to say that I believe what he told me." After a pause, she added, "And obviously, the Wizengamot believed him, too, because they chose not to send him to Azkaban."

"Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater," Ron grumbled. "I can't believe they bought what he said, but Malfoy has always been able to squirm his way out of everything. He's a typical Slytherin. He's probably just using you to buy his way back into respectability."

Hermione sighed loudly, having heard this particular refrain many times before.

"So, did you even wait for my body to get cold before you married the git?" Ron demanded.

"We're not married," Hermione admitted quietly.

"He's using you!," Ron spat. "Just like I said."

"Well, you see, he's still married to Narcissa," Hermione added.

"Using you!" Ron repeated in a sing-song voice.

"You don't understand, Ronald," Hermione said, employing the tone of voice she typically used to explain things to stupid people. "After the war, the Ministry legalized what they called "consort relationships", in order to facilitate the repopulation of the wizarding world. The Ministry especially wants purebloods and muggleborns to have children together to reduce squib births, and they legalized consort relationships so that married people would not have to divorce their spouses in order to comply with the policy."

"Why didn't you just pick a single pureblood to marry, then," Ron demanded. "Neville is a pureblood! My brothers are purebloods! Nearly anybody would have been better than Lucius bloody Malfoy!"

"It's not that simple, Ron," Hermione replied. "For one thing, the Ministry wants as many new babies as possible, and there are simply not enough single purebloods around for every muggleborn or half blood. And I can't think of Neville or your brothers in that way; they're like brothers to me."

"And you do think of Malfoy in 'that way'?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron," Hermione said proudly. "I love him.'

"I'll bet Narcissa Malfoy is thrilled to know that," Ron said, smirking.

"Actually, she's been wonderful," she replied. "It's worked out well, and I wish you could be happy for us."

"Did you ever love me, Hermione?" he asked sadly. "The woman I love wouldn't make a mockery of our relationship, by taking up with an ex-Death Eater at the first opportunity after my death."

"Yes, Ron, I did. I still do, on some level," she told him. "I wouldn't be here today if I didn't care. But I've got to go on and live my life, and I've got to do what's best for me, not what your family thinks is best or what you would have wanted me to do. There will always be a place in my heart, in my memories, for you, Ron, but my life and my heart now belongs to Lucius. And it always will."

"I don't think I really even knew you at all," Ron said slowly. "Please don't visit again. Let me go on in this portrait with the fantasy of how it used to be."

"I won't," she promised, not telling him she really didn't have any desire to visit again, anyway. "This is goodbye." Kissing the tips of her fingers, she then pressed them to the lips of the portrait.

"Goodbye, Ron." Without waiting for a reply, Hermione turned away and walked rapidly out of the room, eager to find Lucius, feeling relief at the sense of closure. Ron Weasley was now securely in the past and she wouldn't look back again.

--  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers who have stuck with this story all these months.  
A/N Next chapter: Luna's Dilemma


	62. Luna's Dilemma

Late one morning about a week later, Hermione was propped up in bed reading a new book, _The Magical Birth Experience_. Lucius was with Narcissa for the week, and the young woman had decided to spend a lazy day in bed catching up on her reading.

Hermione found that the further she got into her pregnancy, the more she craved rest and she gave in to her desires for lazy days more often. She made more of an effort to be active when Lucius was in residence, but, more often than not, she indulged herself when he was with Narcissa.

Just as she was about to shut her book and take a nap, she heard a soft knocking at the bedroom door.

"Come in," she called calmly.

"Begging Mistress Hermione's pardon," Breezy said timidly as she hesitantly entered the room. "But Breezy has an owl message for you."

"Thank you, Breezy," Hermione said with a smile, taking the envelope from the tiny hand.

After the elf left the room, Hermione opened the small envelope and quickly scanned the contents. It was from Luna, who had asked Hermione to have lunch with her, as she had something urgent she needed to discuss with her. Knowing that the normally placid Luna usually never felt that anything was "urgent", Hermione was curious to find out what the other witch had to say.

Rising from the bed, she went into the bathroom to quickly freshen up, then dressed. At this advanced stage of pregnancy, she had ceased wearing muggle clothing altogether, as she found muggle maternity clothes to be nothing short of ghastly. She slipped on a set of comfortable, loose summer robes that made her look elegant, rather than dumpy, as muggle maternity clothes would have done. Lucius had picked them out and, as usual, he had an uncanny sense as to what would look good on her.

The young witch stepped across the hall to the library, where she quickly penned a note accepting Luna's invitation. Not wanting to bother Breezy, she went to the owlery and sent it off herself.

Luna had asked to meet her at Ollivander's wand shop, where she had been working as an apprentice since her graduation. Hermione decided to walk there after apparating from the penthouse to the Leaky Cauldron's brick courtyard, instead of apparating directly to Ollivander's front door. The young witch knew it was important for her pregnancy to get some exercise every day, knowing she'd have an easier time with labour and delivery that way.

Hermione enjoyed the warm sun on her face as she ambled contentedly toward the wand shop. Diagon Alley full of people shopping, taking advantage of the rare, rainless day. Though her bond with Lucius was old news and the overt hostility displayed toward her after their relationship had became public was now a thing of the past, several people gave her frowning, sidelong glances as she passed by. Hermione was oblivious to them, knowing that no matter what she did in her life, that there would always be someone who didn't approve.

As she opened the door to the dusty, overstocked wand shop, a bell tinkled above her head, announcing her arrival.

Old Mr Ollivander was alone behind the counter, inventorying a new shipment of wands as she came through the door. Looking up, he smiled warmly at her.

"Mrs Granger-Malfoy!" he said. "How nice to see you again. How is that cocobolo wand I sold you working out for you?"

"Very well, thank you," she replied. "I'm so glad you decided to stock in a supply of exotic wood wands."

"They've worked out well," he told her. "They're not usually suitable as beginner wands, but experienced adults tend to get good results with them, when used for specialized magic. I'm glad Luna persuaded me to broaden the selection of wands." After mentioning Luna's name, he clapped his hands together once, then said, "Where are my manners! You are here to go to lunch with Luna, and here I am holding you up by prattling on like a dotty old man!"

"That's perfectly all right, Mr Ollivander," Hermione said, smiling up at the old wizard. "I'm in no hurry. I enjoy talking with you."

"Well, I'm sure Luna is hungry, so I'll not delay you any longer," he told her. "Luna is in the back studying her wandmaking textbook. Just go right on back."

Following his direction, Hermione made her way to the back of the store, where she found Luna sitting at a battered old table in a dusty corner of the back room, hunched over a book.

"Hello, Hermione," Luna said serenely, thankfully closing her book. "I got your owl just a few minutes ago. I'm so glad you could come."

"You said it was urgent, so I came right over," the other witch said. "What's wrong?"

"Let's not talk about it here," Luna warned. "We'll talk about it at lunch."

"Where do you want to eat?" Hermione asked.

"I thought we'd go to that little out of the way cafe near the entrance to Knockturn Alley," the other witch replied briefly.

"That grubby little hole in the wall?" Hermione asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Don't let appearances fool you," Luna cautioned. "They really do have good food there. And even better, we'll be able to have a private conversation there."

"All right, then," Hermione conceded, now concerned about what Luna would say.

A short time later, the two witches had taken a seat in a secluded booth in the dark recesses at the rear of the cafe, a spot carefully chosen so that no one passing by on the street would see them.

Once the waiter had taken their orders, Hermione turned to Luna. "So, what's gotten your robes all in a twist? It's not like you to be so secretive."

"You've got to promise to keep it to yourself," the younger witch began. "It's something I need to talk to another woman about."

"Of course, dear," Hermione said. "You can trust me."

"I'm pregnant," Luna stated baldly.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Hermione said. "I'd have given anything to be a fly on the wall when you told Draco."

"That's just it; I haven't told Draco yet," Luna admitted.

"Why on Earth not?" Hermione demanded. "He'll be so thrilled to find out that he's to become a father."

"Yes, I know he will be," Luna said with a shy smile. "But it's not him I'm worried about. It's Narcissa. I know she'll be disappointed in me for getting pregnant before the wedding. It's just not done among high society pureblood families."

"I'm sure she'll understand," Hermione consoled her. "She's been amazingly accepting of my relationship with Lucius, even though_ that _sort of thing was most definitely not done until the Ministry's order."

"Well, she's been planning that huge production of a wedding for me," Luna explained. "I never really wanted such big wedding to begin with, but I was willing to go along for her sake and for Draco's sake. But now that I'm pregnant, I'm even more sure now that I don't want to go through the stress of a big pureblood wedding." Heaving a loud sigh, "What I'd really rather do is have a simple wedding down at the Ministry, then a small gathering for family and a few close friends only."

"I can see where that would be problem now," Hermione conceded. "Narcissa has been rather excited about planning your wedding, to say the least."

"I hate to disappoint her as she's been so nice to me," Luna said.

"I understand how you feel," Hermione said. "But, ultimately, it's your wedding, not hers. The first thing you need to do is talk it over with Draco, and then tell Narcissa and Lucius. I really don't feel comfortable keeping this from Lucius, so the sooner you tell them, the better."

"You're right," Luna said with a sigh. "I'll go see Draco right now."

"Let me know how it goes," Hermione said.

"I will," Luna promised, rising from her chair to leave.

After saying goodbye to Hermione, Luna went to the Diagon Alley post office to send an owl to Draco, telling him to meet her at the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade; that it was urgent. Before apparating to Hogsmeade, she went by the wand shop and told Mr Ollivander that something had come up and that she was taking the afternoon off.

That done, she apparated to the edge of Hogsmeade nearest the Hog's Head. She hurried the rest of the way on foot, only to find Draco already waiting for her near the entrance.

"Oh, you're here already!" Luna said, stating the obvious. "I wasn't sure if you'd gotten my owl."

"You said it was urgent, so I dropped everything to get here," Draco explained, just as concerned as Hermione had been by her uncharacteristic urgency.

--  
A/N: Many thanks to all my readers and reviewers. I appreciate all of you.  
A/N New blog entry: Malfoy Manor Library  
A/N Next Chapter: A Reasonable Compromise


	63. A Reasonable Compromise

"Why did you want me to meet you at this dive," Draco asked Luna, glancing behind himself with a look of distaste at the dilapidated Hog's Head.

"I don't want anyone we know overhearing us," she explained as they entered the place. "Let's take a table in the back."

Once the couple had seated themselves, Luna took Draco's hand and calmly told him, without preamble, "I'm going to have a baby."

"A baby?" Draco repeated, a silly grin on his face. "That's great! But I don't understand why you had to drag me to this hole in the wall to tell me about it. We need to go tell Mum and Dad right away. They'll be so happy."

"Well, that's just it," Luna said. "Your mother will be so disappointed in me for getting pregnant before the wedding,"

"Disappointed in _us_, you mean," Draco corrected. "It's not as if you got yourself pregnant, you know."

"Your mother has her heart set on a big, showy wedding," Luna said. "Now that I'm pregnant, I don't want to have to deal with all that stress. I never really wanted a big wedding, anyway. A quiet ceremony with just us, your parents, Hermione, and Dad is all I ever really wanted." Taking a sip of her drink, she continued, "And I know that will disappoint your mother. I'm truly grateful for all her help, but I don't know how to tell her I don't want a big wedding."

"Ah, I see your problem now," Draco said. "I think I'd prefer a private wedding myself, but I'd thought you wanted the big wedding, so I was willing to go along with whatever made you happy."

"Really?" Luna was surprised. She'd thought he wanted a big wedding just like his mother did. "I never realized."

"After all we've been through in the last couple of years, I thought a small ceremony might be more tasteful," Draco told her. "All that really matters is that _you_ are at the wedding. You're all I need."

"That's exactly how I feel," Luna said quietly. "What are we going to do?" By this time, they'd left the Hog's Head and were walking in the general direction of Hogwarts.

Draco was silent for a long moment, contemplating their options. He gazed idly at the castle that had been both their homes for seven years. "I've got it!" he said suddenly. "Why don't we go up to Hogwarts right now and have the Headmaster marry us?"

"Horace Slughorn?" Luna half-asked. "That's a wonderful idea!"

"We'll just get married quietly at a place we both love, and then we'll go home and tell our parents," Draco decided. "Once it's done, they won't be able to do anything about it."

"I hate to go behind their backs," Luna said doubtfully. "Your Mum has been so good to me."

"It's the only way," Draco insisted. "We'll make it up to them afterward. Once Mother realizes she's to be a grandmother, she'll get over the rest of it."

"Well, let's go then," Luna said, taking his hand.

A short time later, the young couple stood in Horace Slughorn's new office. All the portraits in the office, particularly those of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, looked on in great interest, as Draco explained their problem to the new Headmaster.

Horace Slughorn had remained silent until Draco finished speaking. Steepling his fingers together, he finally asked, "You want me to perform a wedding ceremony right here, right now?"

"That's right," Draco affirmed quietly, taking Luna's hand. "We would certainly appreciate it."

"I will perform the ceremony under one condition," Slughorn told him. "I will do it if you owl your parents first and give them enough time to get here to witness your wedding. I can assure you that you will regret it if you proceed without them. I'm sure they'd much rather attend a simple wedding than be excluded altogether." Trying, but failing, to look stern, he said, "Lucius, and especially Narcissa, would never forgive me if we did this behind their backs."

Luna looked up at Draco, then said softly, "I can live with that. How about you?"

"If that's what you want," Draco conceded, looking doubtful.

"I do," Luna said. "It's a good compromise and I'll feel better if they're here."

"All right then," Draco told both Luna and Slughorn.

Albus Dumbledore's portrait smiled down on the young couple. "You're doing the right thing, Mr Malfoy," he told Draco, always having known there was hope for the Malfoy family.

"It's a good thing he's listening to Miss Lovegood," Severus Snape's portrait remarked, not at all sure he'd have chosen to do so on his own.

"Well, I'll leave you both to send your owls and get ready for the ceremony," Slughorn said, rising from his chair. "I imagine you'll want to retrieve your wedding clothes after owling your parents." Moving slowly to the door, he said, "Let me know when you're ready to proceed."

---

Lucius stretched languidly in bed after he awakened, the time being well after noon. Narcissa was still asleep, curled protectively against him. They'd been up most of the night making love and had not actually fallen asleep until well after the sun was up.

He gazed down at his wife of over 20 years in frank appreciation, quite glad that one of his father's plans for him had worked out so well. As he stroked her long blond hair, he wondered if her newly-awakened sex drive had occurred because of his relationship with Hermione, but then realized it didn't matter why. She was eager for his touch now, and that was all that mattered.

Just as he was about to slide back down into bed, to wake Narcissa in the way she liked best, he heard a pecking at their bedroom window. He glanced in irritation at the window and was surprised to see one of Hogwarts' generic barn owls waiting impatiently for him to let it in.

Sighing, he got out of bed to go to the window, so the damned bird would go away and he could get back to Narcissa. As he took the noted from the bird, he was surprised to see Draco's handwriting, wondering what his son was doing at Hogwarts.

Returning to the bed, he sat on the side of it, still naked, as he read the note:

_Mother and Father:_

_Please come to Hogwarts right away and make sure to wear your best clothes._

_PS: Father, make sure that Hermione comes, too._

_I'll explain when you get here_

_Draco_

Puzzled, he stared at the cryptic note, as if he could get inside his son's mind that way. Finally setting it on the nightstand, he leaned over and murmured in his wife's ear.

"Narcissa! Wake up!"

"Mmm," she murmured. "What is it, Lucius? I was having this most delicious dream when you woke me up."

Grabbing the note again, he showed it to her. "It's from Draco. He wants us to meet him right away at Hogwarts wearing our best clothes."

Narcissa snapped completely awake at the news. "I wonder what's going on," she said, as she got out of bed to head to the shower. "Did he say anything else?"

"No, but the sooner we get up there, the sooner we'll find out," Lucius said tightly. "We'll shower together so as not to waste too much time."

"We'll end up wasting _more_ time if you do that," Narcissa teased.

Lucius paid no attention as he stepped into the stall with his wife.

A short time later, Lucius and Narcissa met Hermione in Slughorn's office, where Hermione, Xeno Lovegood and Andromeda Tonks were already waiting.

"Where is Draco?" Narcissa asked as soon as she'd joined the group. "Do any of you know what's going on?"

"I have an idea," Hermione told them. "But I'm not sure. So I think I'll leave it to Draco to explain, as it's not really my place to do so."

At that moment, Draco entered the office, followed closely by Luna. Both were dressed in the clothes they'd planned to wear to their wedding in the fall, having sent house elves to retrieve them.

"I suppose you're all wondering why we called you here today," Draco began.

"That's an understatement," Lucius drawled. "But do go on."

Giving his father a look of momentary irritation, Draco said, "Let's all have a seat as this may take awhile."

Once everyone had seated themselves, Luna stepped forward. "It's really my fault," she said, giving the Malfoys an apologetic look. "I found out this morning that I'm pregnant."

Not giving anyone a chance to respond, she continued, "I decided that, given the circumstances, that it might be in better taste if Draco and I had a quiet wedding as quickly as possible." The young witch thought it best to omit the fact that she'd never wanted a big wedding in the first place. Looking at Narcissa, she said softly, "I'm really sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to giving us this wedding."

"That's quite all right," Narcissa said graciously, brushing a tear from her eye. She was disappointed, but she decided she would look on the bright side. "I'm going to be a grandmother! It's the best gift you could have ever given me."

Lucius squeezed her hand, then leaned over to give her a kiss. "Imagine me, a grandfather!"

"I can hardly wait," Xeno said. "I think I'm going to enjoy being a grandfather."

"Well, shall we get on with it?" Draco asked. He went to the fireplace to floo call Slughorn in his quarters to let him know they were ready.

Horace Slughorn arrived a few moments later, resplendent in his finest robes.

"Ah, I see we're all here," he said affably. "Are we ready to begin?" Pausing for a moment, he said, "Places, everybody!"

Draco and Luna stood before Slughorn, who stood in between the portraits of Dumbledore and Snape. Hermione stood on Luna's side, to act as her matron of honor, while Lucius served as best man to his son. Narcissa and Andromeda stood also, with Narcissa next to her husband. All the portraits were awake and paying attention, with Dumbledore and Snape so rapt as if to almost be in the room in the flesh.

And so they were married, with a minimum of fuss, in a ceremony that was not terribly unlike the one Hermione had experienced with Lucius. During the ceremony, Lucius exchanged knowing glances with both his mates, hoping that Draco would know the same happiness with Luna, as he'd known with Narcissa and Hermione.

__  
A/N Thanks to everyone who stuck with me thus far with this rather long story  
A/N Next Chapter: Narcissa's Surprise


	64. Narcissa's Surprise

A/N: Pardon the lateness in posting, but FFnet wouldn't let me log in for over 24 hours!

----

About a week after Draco's wedding, Hermione had been awakened early by Lucius' amorous advances. She had yet another appointment with the midwife later that morning, so Lucius had decided to get their day off to the right start. He'd started by placing gentle kisses on the back of her neck, as he reached around the stroke her breasts from behind. Once Hermione had completely awakened, he urged her up onto her hands and knees, giving her little kisses on her neck and down her back as he did so.

She felt awkward and ungainly as she perched naked on top of the bed on her hands and knees as Lucius pounded into her from behind, releasing an unladylike "umph" with each thrust. Despite her decreased agility, however, her libido remained strong and steady the further she got into her pregnancy, much to Lucius' delight. Because of her expanding waistline, the couple most often employed the rear-entry position, which spared Hermione's stomach and allowed Lucius more control.

Finally, Lucius began emitting a low growl, which signaled his impending climax, which came a short time later, punctuated by a satisfied grunt. Lucius rolled back onto the bed, pulling Hermione down with him. She rested with her head on his chest for a long moment, as she felt his heart rate slow down to normal.

After a long interval, Hermione reluctantly rose to sit on the side of the bed. "I suppose I should go get ready," she said. "I'll be glad when this is all over."

"I'm of two minds on that," Lucius replied. "I'll be glad to see our baby, but I'm not looking forward to the six weeks we'll have to do without."

"It shouldn't be all that hard on you," Hermione told him, somewhat impatiently. "After all, you'll still have Narcissa to accommodate you during that time.

"That's quite true," Lucius said. "But I'll certainly miss making love to _you_ during that time, all the same."

Hermione leaned over and kissed him on the cheek,feeling ashamed of her peevish response to him. "I suppose I'd better go into the bathroom and start getting ready," she said softly.

A short time later, after she and Lucius had showered, Hermione sighed loudly as she arranged her hair in front of the mirror, feeling dumpy and unattractive

"_Don't worry,_" the mirror said sympathetically. "_It won't be too long. Soon, you'll have your girlish figure back._"

"I certainly hope so," Hermione replied, still marveling at the mirror Lucius has installed for her. It was the first one she'd ever encountered that wasn't prone to making wisecracks. "I'm dearly sick of being pregnant."

Finally satisfied with her hair, she went into the breakfast room, where Lucius was waiting for her. Now that Hermione was in the last stages of pregnancy, he'd been going with her to the more frequent visits she'd had with the midwife.

"Ah, there you are," Lucius said smiling. "Looking lovely, as always." He knew that Hermione was feeling less confident about her appearance, just as Narcissa had in late pregnancy with Draco, so he found it essential to encourage Hermione, assuring her at frequent intervals how attractive he still found her. Indeed, her heavily pregnant form turned him on even more, as it was visual proof of his own virility.

"Why don't you sit down and have some breakfast before we go," Lucius suggested. "We're in no hurry."

"All right," Hermione agreed. "I am pretty hungry."

Half an hour later, the expectant couple arrived at St Mungo's for Hermione's appointment. As they walked into the midwife's waiting room, the receptionist called out to Lucius, "Oh, Mr Malfoy. An owl message arrived for you a short time ago."

Taking the message from the young woman, Lucius quickly scanned the contents.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, noting the concerned expression that came over his face after he'd read the note.

"Nothing serious, I hope," he replied, frowning. "It's from Narcissa. She wants me to return to Malfoy Manor right away."

"I hope nothing is wrong," Hermione said with concern.

"It's not like her to sound quite so urgent," he said. "She usually prefers to handle things independently. But the note doesn't give a clue as to what the matter is."

"You'd better go," Hermione urged him. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Very," Hermione said, with a wave of her hand. "Now, go!"

"I'll be back as quick as I can," Lucius promised her.

"Take your time," Hermione told him. "There's no hurry."

Lucius gave her a quick kiss, before hurrying off to apparate to Malfoy Manor, hoping that nothing was amiss at home.

Hermione picked up a copy of _Witch Weekly_ from the table next to her seat and settled in to read while she waited her turn to see the midwife. Her eyes immediately caught the headline:

_Malfoy Heir Quietly Marries Quibbler Heir in a Private Ceremony_

Before she could read more than a few lines of the article, the receptionist called her name. She was surprised her name was called that quickly, even though the waiting room contained only a few expectant mothers.

A short time later, she was on Calandra Jones' examination table, her feet up in the stirrups. At first embarrassed by having to assume this undignified position, she was now used to it, no longer quite so bashful doing so.

Nevertheless, she stared at the ceiling as the midwife poked and prodded between her legs. "Is everything all right?" she asked, wondering why the woman was taking so long.

"Just fine," the other woman assured her. "Everything is as it should be. I predict that you will deliver right on time."

--

After leaving Hermione, Lucius apparated directly to Malfoy Manor. No sooner had his body completely materialized on the grounds near the library entrance than he was taking long strides toward the mansion.

Since he'd bonded with Hermione, Narcissa had never owled him requesting his immediate return home, as she'd made a point of respecting the boundaries Lucius had created so that the two relationships functioned smoothly. Draco and Luna were on their honeymoon in Italy; he hoped nothing had gone amiss with them.

He found the library empty and quiet when he entered from the French doors a moment later.

"Narcissa!" he called out into the silence.

There was no reply, but a moment later, there was a loud crack as a house elf apparated into the room.

"Mistress Narcissa is upstairs in her bedroom," the elf supplied helpfully.

Lucius pushed past the small creature without a word, taking the stairs quickly. His mind raced through the possibilities of what could be wrong as he tore up the steps, two at a time. Was she sick? Was she hurt?

As he burst into their bedroom, he found his wife sitting at her vanity table, calmly brushing out her hair.

Realizing that Narcissa was apparently fine, he looked at her in confusion "I'm here," he announced. "What's wrong? Is it Draco or Luna?"

"Nothing is wrong, Lucius," Narcissa said, turning to face him with a big smile on her face. "In fact, everything is so right." She rose from her chair and moved to embrace her husband. "I'm pregnant, Lucius!" she said breathlessly. "We're finally going to have another baby!"

Lucius was gobsmacked, unable to say a word.

"Did you hear me, Lucius?" Narcissa prodded. "I'm going to have a baby!"

The normally smooth-tongued wizard finally found his voice and croaked, "Are you sure?"

"Reasonably sure," Narcissa told him. "I've been feeling the symptoms of pregnancy and I've not had a period in two months. At first, I thought I might be starting the change, even though it's rather early for that. But I thought that the healers might possibly have been wrong all those years ago when they told me I couldn't have any more children. So I did the pregnancy testing charm and it came out positive. But I was so nervous when I did it, that I might not have gotten it right." Taking his hand, she said, "Why don't you give it a try?"

"I'm so shocked right now that I might not do it right, either," he confessed. After a moment, he added, "Put your clothes on and let's go. Hermione is at the midwife's right now; we'll go there and find out for certain."

"That's a good idea," she said. Giving her husband a tight squeeze, she continued, "But I know in my heart, I'm pregnant, Lucius. This will just be a formality."

"Formality or not, I still want you to be examined," Lucius said firmly.

"Give me a moment, then, and I'll be ready to go," Narcissa told him. "I've already done my hair, so all I need to do is get dressed.

Impatient to leave, Lucius waved his wand in front of his wife and she was dressed in her favorite outfit. "There," Lucius said. "Now we can leave."

A few minutes later, they entered the midwife's office. After escorting Narcissa to a seat, Lucius went to the receptionist.

"My wife needs to see the midwife as soon as possible," Lucius briefly told the young woman, indicating Narcissa with a wave of the hand.

After having seen Lucius for the last several months escorting Hermione to her appointments, the young woman had assumed that she was his wife. But now glancing in the direction he'd indicated, she realized her mistake; Hermione was obviously his mistress. And it seemed that now he'd gotten his wife pregnant as well. She looked up at the arrogant, imperious wizard, barely able to conceal a grin as she imagined what it would be like to go to bed with this obviously virile man.

Clearing her throat to return her attention to the matter at hand, she told Lucius, "I'll try to get her in as quickly as possible."

Shortly after the young woman had disappeared through a door to let the midwife know that Narcissa was waiting, Hermione re-entered the waiting room, having just finished her appointment.

Surprised to see Narcissa sitting with Lucius, she gave Lucius a questioning glance, then asked, "Is everything all right?"

Lucius looked first at Narcissa, exchanging a tight grin, then replied, "Everything is fine. More than fine, actually." Glancing again at Narcissa, he paused to allow her to share her news with Hermione.

"I think I might actually be pregnant, after all these years," the older witch said in an almost giddy tone of voice.

"Oh, that's wonderful," Hermione said. "Lucinda will have a sibling to attend Hogwarts with!"

"That's true, but you'll certainly have more children of your own to join them," Narcissa pointed out reasonably.

"Between the three of us, we'll overrun Hogwarts with Malfoys," Lucius said with a wicked grin.

The two women exchanged amused glances, both knowing how proud Lucius was of himself.

Turning to Hermione, who had by now taken a seat by Lucius on the other side from Narcissa, he asked, "I trust that all was well with your examination?"

"Everything is fine," Hermione assured him. "It shouldn't be too much longer now."

"Excellent," Lucius replied, giving her hand a squeeze.

At that moment, the receptionist returned to the room. "The midwife will see you now, Mrs Malfoy."

As Lucius rose to follow his wife, Hermione said, "I'll wait here for you. I can't wait to hear if Narcissa's suspicions are correct."

"All right," Lucius said, leaning down to give her a kiss. "We shouldn't be too long."

A moment later, Lucius and Narcissa entered Calandra Jones' office, where the midwife sat waiting for them.

"Mrs Malfoy!" Calandra said. "What a pleasant suprise to see you today. How can I be of assistance?"

"I think I might be pregnant," Narcissa told her. "I didn't think it possible considering I'd been told that I could never have more children, but all the signs are there."

"Did you perform a pregnancy testing spell on yourself?" the other woman asked.

"Yes, but I was so nervous, that I didn't trust the results," Narcissa told her. "Lucius insisted I visit you to make sure."

"And to make sure that Narcissa is perfectly healthy," Lucius added.

"A wise precaution," the midwife told Narcissa. "Now, why don't you and I go into the examination room and we'll see what's going on."

A few minutes later, the two women returned to the office where Lucius waited, both with wide smiles on their faces.

"I take it from the looks on your faces that there's good news?" Lucius asked.

"Oh, yes, Lucius," Narcissa said, smiling in happiness. "I'm most definitely pregnant."

"And she's in perfect health," Calandra Jones said, beaming. "There should be no trouble in bringing the baby to term."

Narcissa rushed to Lucius' arms, where they hugged and kissed for a long moment, belatedly remembering that they were not alone in the room.

After the three took their seats once again, the midwife said, "Now, I'll write you a prescription for some prenatal potions, then we'll be done until the next visit. Do you have any more questions?"

"Thank you," Narcissa said. "I have one question. How could I be pregnant after so many years of unsuccessful trying?"

Looking at both Malfoys, Calandra asked, "May I be completely frank?"

"Of course," Lucius said. "Do go on."

"My theory is that Narcissa was unable to conceive for so long because of all the stress and pressure she was under as the wife of a Death Eater," the midwife told them. "Worrying about her family no doubt created sufficient stress to prevent her from conceiving. Now that You Know Who is gone and the pressure has been removed, her body has now returned to its normal state, thus allowing her to become pregnant."

"That seems reasonable," Lucius said slowly, feeling ashamed that he was indirectly responsible for his wife's inability to become pregnant for so long.

Narcissa, sensing where her husband's thoughts had gone, reached over and gave him a kiss, adding, "It's all over now, love. What matters is that I'm pregnant now."

Sparing his wife a grateful glance, he asked the midwife, "So. Is it a boy or girl?"

"It's going to be a girl," Calandra told him.

"What would you like to name her, Lucius?" Narcissa asked. "You did so well with Draco, I thought you'd like to choose again."

"I think you should name her," Lucius said firmly. "It's your turn."

"All right," Narcissa said slowly "I'd like to name her Nymphadora Andromeda. I think it would make my sister very happy."

"Yes, I'm sure she'll feel honored," Lucius agreed. "Nymphadora Andromeda Malfoy. It has a nice ring to it."

Taking Narcissa's hand, he said, "Let's go tell Hermione. I know she'll be thrilled for Lucinda to have a little sister."

---

A/N Over 800 replies! Keep 'em coming

A/N Next chapter: yet to be named


	65. Snide Reactions

A couple of days later, Molly and Arthur had come to Grimmauld Place for lunch. Molly had moved into Grimmauld Place that morning, as Ginny's due date was fast approaching.

Molly had decided her gift to the about-to-be-parents would be to stay with them until the baby was two months old. Her plan was to take over all the cooking and cleaning, in order to give Ginny sufficient time to recover from the birth. Her mum had done it for her and her grandmum for her mum before that; it was a Prewett family tradition she intended to continue.

As soon as she'd put her bags into the guest room, the Weasley matriarch had immediately taken over running the house.

"Mum, I'm perfectly capable of making lunch," Ginny protested when Molly had shooed her out of the kitchen when it was time to start the meal. "I'm just pregnant; I'm not an invalid."

"I know that, dear," Molly said. "But you need to start conserving your strength for the labor and delivery. As I remember, labor for a first time mother is generally much longer and exhausting than that of mothers who've had children before."

"All right, Mum," Ginny conceded wearily. She knew it was useless to argue with her mother about such things.

"Go out and visit with Harry and your father for awhile," she instructed. "You won't have much time for just sitting around once the baby comes, so you might as well enjoy it while you can."

Ginny ambled into the lounge, where she found Harry and her father engaged in a half-hearted game of wizard chess. Harry had never been as skilled at the game as Ron had been, and he was certainly no match her father, who, after all, had taught Ron the game in the first place.

Only mildly interested in their play, she seated herself by Harry's side, silently wishing for her father to beat him quickly, so they could all move on to something else. She was relieved when an owl came pecking at the window, interrupting her boredom, if only for a moment.

Rising ungracefully from her chair, she went over to the window, letting the bird in, who was clutching a copy of the _Daily Prophet _in its claws. After taking the package from the owl's leg, she gave it an owl treat then shooed it back out the window.

After returning to her seat, Ginny opened the paper, hoping there would be something interesting enough to read to keep her from being too bored until lunch was ready.

Her eye immediately caught one headline:

_**Malfoy Patriarch Has Much to Be Happy About**_

_The Daily Prophet has learned from a reliable source that Narcissa Malfoy, wife of former Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy, is pregnant again, nearly twenty years after the birth of her only child, Draco Malfoy._

_Our source, who asked to remain anonymous, observed Mr and Mrs Malfoy leaving midwife Calandra Jones' office__ in high spirits __two days ago. The Malfoys were accompanied by Mr Malfoy's young consort, Hermione Granger-Malfoy, who is also pregnant and is soon to give birth to Mr Malfoy's second child._

_When asked by this reporter whether the rumors were true, Mrs Malfoy confirmed that she is indeed pregnant with a daughter, which the couple has named Nymphadora Andromeda in honor of Mrs Malfoy's sister and niece. She also confirmed another rumor circulating around wizarding Britain that her new daughter-in-law Luna Lovegood Malfoy, is pregnant with her first child, a boy, which she and her husband, Draco, have named Scorpius Lysander._

_The family patriarch, Lucius Malfoy, has much to be happy about with three new heirs soon to be added to the Malfoy family line. We wish him and his family much happiness with their upcoming additions to the family._

"Bollocks!" Ginny swore, throwing the paper down in disgust.

"What?" Harry asked, surprised by her outburst. At that moment Molly entered the room to sit down for a few minutes while the meal cooked. She gave her daughter a questioning look as she took a seat.

"It's another sickening article about the Malfoys," Ginny told the group. "It seems as if my suspicions were right about Luna getting married early; she's pregnant!"

"I just knew it," Molly crowed. "I can't imagine the Malfoys allowing Draco to have a small, private wedding otherwise. Those people are all about ostentatious display. That prissy Narcissa Malfoy must have had a fit when she found out that Luna had let herself get pregnant before the wedding." Sighing, she added, "It's just too bad that Luna didn't find herself a nice Gryffindor boy to marry. I'd always thought that there was something between her and Neville, but apparently not."

"No, they've always been just friends," Harry told his mother in law. "Neville had been interested in Hannah Abbott since third year, at least."

"And that's not all!" Ginny broke in. "It says that Narcissa Malfoy is pregnant, too! Can you believe that?"

"After all those years of looking down their noses at us for having a large family..." Molly said to her husband, giving him a knowing look. "I wonder what got into her to have another child after so many years.?"

Everyone chuckled at this loaded statement, as they all knew exactly what, or who, had "gotten into" Narcissa Malfoy.

"Hermione is in for it, now" Ginny predicted darkly. "I've always thought that Malfoy wanted her only because his wife was a cold fish and because he needed her to show the ministry that he'd reformed. I'm guessing that now he's to have another precious pureblooded child, he'll decide he doesn't need Hermione any more and drop her like a bad habit."

"I wouldn't be at all surprised," Molly agreed. "It's obvious that Malfoy has been using Hermione. She's going to be in a bad situation having to raise Lucius Malfoy's half-blood bastard all alone." Sighing again, she added, "But it's going to take me a very long time before I could ever forgive her enough to help her."

Harry sighed loudly, but did not comment. He'd observed Malfoy with Hermione several times and though he could never call Lucius Malfoy his friend, it had been quite obvious to him that, against all odds, that Malfoy actually cared for Hermione. Although he knew that Malfoy was not above dumping Hermione if it suited his needs, he sincerely hoped this would not happen, as he knew how deeply Hermione was in love with him. But if the worst happened, Harry decided he would be there to support her, no matter what Ginny and his in-laws thought.

Moving on from his private thoughts, he said, "That reminds me. I need to get a wedding gift for Luna."

"Whatever for?" Ginny asked, puzzled. "She married that git Malfoy, remember?"

"She's still my friend," Harry said firmly. "And she's been a good friend to all of us. I can't stop being friends with her just because of her taste in men."

"That's fine, dear," Molly said to Harry distractedly. "If Draco is anything like his father, I'll not be surprised if Luna will soon regret her decision to marry him. Although I can't imagine Lucius Malfoy would stand for her divorcing Draco, now that she's carrying a Malfoy heir. In any instance, she'll need her friends."

Harry couldn't help but compare the difference between Molly's attitude toward Luna and toward Hermione. She couldn't get over Hermione being with a Malfoy simply because Hermione had been engaged to Ron; it was a personal affront to the Weasley family in Molly's eyes. With Luna, it didn't matter so much to her, so she could afford to be somewhat magnanimous. And, of course, there was a big difference between Malfoy Senior and Malfoy Junior in the Weasley matriarch's eyes. To Molly, Draco was salvageable, but Lucius was not.

Rising from her chair, Molly said, "I'd better check on lunch. It shouldn't be more than a few minutes. I'll call when it's ready."

"I need to go to the loo for a few minutes," Ginny said, standing up. "I'll be glad when the baby is born and I don't have to go quite so often any more."

Arthur had picked up the paper that Ginny had discarded to have something to read while he waited for lunch to be ready. Left to his own devices for a few minutes, Harry decided to send an owl to Luna, asking if he could come visit her and Malfoy at her earliest convenience with a combination housewarming and wedding gift.

After giving Kreacher the message to send off, he sat wondering what he should give the newly married couple as a gift. His eyes wandered around the room, trying to come up with an idea. Finally, his eyes fell on the chessboard he'd only recently vacated. Staring at it intently, he considered that a wizarding chess set might make the perfect gift. He knew that both Luna and her new husband knew how to play the game, so it was something both of them could get enjoyment from together. And Harry knew just the right one to buy -- he'd seen a set in a shop in Diagon Alley made from sterling silver and solid gold that he knew would suitably impress Draco Malfoy.

"Come on, everyone," Molly Weasley called from the kitchen, ending Harry's ruminations. "Lunch is ready."

----  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers who have stuck with me thus far. I appreciate all of you!  
A/N There's a new entry on my blog, showing the chess set that Harry bought for Luna and Draco. My blog can be accessed through my profile.  
A/N Next Chapter has yet to be given a title.


	66. An Argument and a Visit

"Who is that from?" Draco Malfoy asked his new wife, Luna, as he came into the kitchen and found her removing a message from a strange owl's leg.

Turning to give her new husband a loving smile, she said, "I don't recognize the handwriting." Quickly tearing the note open, she said, "Oh, it's from Harry!"

"Potter?" Draco asked, puzzled. "What does he want?"

"He wants to come over to give us our wedding present," Luna told him, smiling happily.

Draco was stunned that Harry Potter would actually want to give them a wedding gift, considering the bad blood he'd had with The Boy Who Lived over the years.

Luna, noting Draco's expression, said softly, "The war is over now, love. It's time to move on. And, besides, he's been_ my_ friend since my fourth year." After a pause, she asked, "So, do you think tomorrow afternoon would be good for him to visit?"

"Yeah, that would be fine," Draco said, resigned to having Potter as a visitor in his home. He knew it would make Luna happy, so the young man was determined to make the best of it.

"I'll send him an owl right away, then," Luna said serenely, moving to the desk in the corner.

"After you get that done, I've got something better we can do," Draco told her, eyebrows quivering suggestively.

"How about you go turn down the covers on the bed and I'll be with you in a few minutes," she said, blushing.

"I'll be waiting," Draco said. "Don't take too long or I'll come hunt you down."  
---

Harry got up early the next morning to go buy the chess set for Luna and Draco. He slipped out of bed carefully, so as not to wake Ginny, then went downstairs to make himself some breakfast before flooing to Diagon Alley.

As he entered the kitchen, he found Molly Weasley already up, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea.

Looking up at Harry, she said, "You're up early."

"So are you," Harry observed. "I wanted to get an early start to go buy Luna's wedding present. I got an owl from her last night, inviting me to come over this afternoon."

"Is Ginny going to go with you," Molly asked.

"She can if she wants to," Harry replied offhandedly. "But she didn't seem interested in it when I got the owl from Luna."

"Ginny does need her rest," Molly pointed out. "It probably would be for the best if you went alone." Rising from her seat, she said, "Let me make you a little breakfast before you go."

"All right," Harry agreed, taking a seat

Twenty minutes later, he arrived in Diagon Alley, where shops were beginning to open for the day. Wasting no time, he headed straight for the store where he'd seen the wizarding chess set, hoping they'd not already sold it to someone else.

He was in luck, the chess set was still there waiting for him. A short time later, Harry headed back to Grimmauld Place, minus quite a few galleons. Ginny was up, sitting at the table eating breakfast with her mother as he entered the kitchen.

"Well, that didn't take long," Molly observed. "Can I fix you anything more to eat?"

"A glass of pumpkin juice would be nice," Harry answered. "But I'm not hungry again yet." He seated himself beside his wife, who was still wrapped in a blanket.

As she set the juice down in front of him, Molly demanded, "Well? Did you get it? Let's see it."

Harry pulled the reduced gift from his pocket and set it on the table. Taking his wand, he tapped it once and said, "Engorgio!". The chess set obligingly returned to its normal size.

Both Ginny's and Molly's eyes bugged out a bit at the sight of the obviously expensive gift. "How much did that cost?" Molly demanded. "Surely you could have chosen something less expensive that would have been sufficient."

"Yeah, you don't want to give the ferret something that nice," Ginny put in, agreeing with her mother, as usual.

"I do want to give _Luna_ something this nice, however," Harry said, feeling his temper rising within him. "She's married Malfoy, like it or not, and we're going to have to accept that and get used to it, if we want to maintain our friendship with her."

"Perhaps you don't need to be worrying so much about your friends so much and start concentrating on your family more," Ginny sniffed. "You should worry more about how _we_ feel than how Luna and Hermione feel."

Feeling his composure slipping even more, he grated out, "I suppose this means you won't be coming with me to present this gift to Luna, then?"

"That's right," Ginny affirmed. "I'm not about to step foot anywhere near where Draco Malfoy lives. You could have Luna come over here by herself, you know."

"I can't believe what you're saying," Harry exclaimed. "How would you feel if one of your friends invited you over and you were expected to leave me at home?"

"That's not the same thing at all," Ginny insisted. "You were never a Death Eater."

"When are you going to let this go?" Harry asked. "The Malfoys aren't Death Eaters any more. Narcissa Malfoy saved my life. They're trying to move on and learn from their mistakes. I don't like them much, either, but for Hermione's and Luna's sakes, we need to give them a chance."

"I can't and I won't," Ginny insisted. "I'll never forgive Lucius Malfoy for almost getting me killed."

"We've already been over this," Harry said,exasperated. "Professor Dumbledore once told me that Malfoy didn't know exactly what the diary was or how dangerous it was; that he was only trying to embarrass your father with it. Hermione told me that Malfoy had confirmed what the Professor said."

"He certainly didn't wish Ginny well," Molly sniffed.

"Let's go upstairs where we can finish this in _private_," Harry growled, not wishing to deal with both Weasley women in stereo.

Once the couple had shut the door to their bedroom a few moments later, Ginny pouted to Harry, "I don't see why you expect me to pretend like the Malfoys never did anything wrong and expect them to be my new best friends."

"I don't expect you to make friends with the Malfoys," Harry snapped, his voice raised a hair. "But I would like if you could be at least civil when we meet them out in public, out of respect for Luna and Hermione. Is that too much to ask? That you not embarrass me?"

"Don't you raise your voice at me, Harry Potter!" Ginny exclaimed, her voice raised to match his. "I won't have it!"

"Fine," Harry said dismissively, heading to the door.

"Where are you going?" Ginny demanded.

"Out," he replied. "I'm tired of arguing with you."

Before she could reply, he banged the door closed, and slammed down the stairs, where, predictably, Molly Weasley was waiting at the bottom.

"What happened up there?" she asked. "You shouldn't be upsetting Ginny in her condition."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd really rather not talk about it," Harry said in a curt tone of voice. He moved past his mother in law and went into the kitchen to retrieve the chess set. After reducing it and putting it back in his pocket. he grabbed his broomstick and went to the fireplace to floo to Hogsmeade, where he could go flying for a couple of hours to forget about his troubles.

A few hours later, Harry reluctantly brought his broom back to the ground, as it was time to visit Luna and her new husband. After reducing his broom and sticking it in his pocket, he walked to the centre of town, to the Three Broomsticks, where he would floo to their new home. Luna had told him to floo precisely at three o'clock, as they'd only keep the floo open to their home for a short time.

He slipped quietly into the Three Broomsticks, not wanting to get caught up in conversation with anyone. Going directly to a small private dining room right off the main room, he stepped up to the fireplace, grabbed some floo powder, and quickly flooed to his destination.

As he stepped out of the fireplace at his destination, Harry found himself in a small anteroom near the front door to the home. A closed, inner door stood to his right, which he assumed led into the home proper. Harry realized that this was the guest floo room. Grimmauld Place had a similar room, but the fireplace in that room had been sealed long before Harry had first set foot in the Black family home.

A loud crack interrupted his thoughts, revealing a young house elf, somewhat taller than average for his kind.

"I is Bippy," the elf said. "Master Draco and Mistress Luna is expecting Harry Potter." Beckoning toward the inner door, the elf opened it, then allowed Harry to precede him inside.

No sooner than the elf had escorted Harry inside than Luna rushed forward to greet him. She was dressed in a cheerful blue robe with a yellow sunflower pattern on it.

"Harry, I'm so glad you came!" Luna said happily. "Isn't Ginny with you? I'd hoped to see her."

"Uh, ah, she's not feeling all that well today," Harry lied, not wanting to hurt Luna's feelings. "It's almost her time and she gets tired really easily these days."

"I hope it isn't Nargles," Luna said in a worried tone. "It's Nargle season and they can really make a person tired."

Before Harry could comment, Draco Malfoy entered the room from a door in the back. He noticed that the younger Malfoy had allowed his hair to grow long enough to be caught into a short ponytail, which served to emphasize his strong resemblance to his father.

Moving to stand protectively next to his new wife, he said, "Potter," managing to keep from curling his lip. Draco was relieved to see that Potter had come alone; he was glad to avoid the completely classless Ginny Weasley Potter.

"Malfoy," Harry replied. Both men were willing to try to get along, but felt rather awkward, considering the history between them.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Luna said placidly. "Bippy will be bringing us some butterbeer and snacks."

Harry took a seat on an arm chair opposite the Malfoys, who had sat themselves together on the sofa.

"So, err, you have a nice place here," Harry said, trying to get the conversation going.

"It's one of Father's estates," Draco told him. "We haven't decided whether we're going to live here permanently, but we'll stay at least until the baby is born and Luna has recovered. We may decide to build our own home at some point."

"You didn't want to stay at Malfoy Manor?" Harry asked.

"We thought about it," Malfoy admitted. "But Luna and I thought it best that we start off our marriage with some privacy, especially considering she's pregnant. And with Mum having another baby as well, we figured she and Father would want their privacy as well."

"I can definitely understand that," Harry said with a rueful smile, thinking of his meddlesome mother in law.

"I'll bet you can," Malfoy replied, allowing a smirk and then a shudder at the thought of the pushy Weasley matriarch as a mother in law.

Reaching into his pocket, Harry said, "Oh, before I forget, here's your wedding gift."

He set the reduced package on the coffee table in front of them, then said to Luna, "Why don't you do the honors?"

Luna eagerly pulled out her wand, then enlarged the gift.

"Oh, it's quite lovely, Harry," Luna said, smiling. "Thank you!"

"I knew that both you and Ma...err...Draco like to play chess, so I thought this would be something you might enjoy together," Harry explained.

Draco looked at Harry in surprise after noting the obvious quality of his gift. "Thanks, Po...err...Harry," he said, meaning it. "All we had at this house was my battered old set I used to use at Hogwarts. I'd missed the good set I used back at the Manor and I'd not gotten around to getting a proper set for this house. This one is perfect."

"I'm glad you like it," Harry said sincerely.

"You'll have to come over and play some nights when you're not busy," Draco said. "Goyle comes to visit sometimes, but he's too dim to be any challenge for me."

"I can't say that I'd be much better," Harry admitted. "Ron used to wipe up the floor with me when we'd play chess." After a pause, he said, "But, sure, I'd be happy to come over and play some time."

"You couldn't be worse than Goyle," Draco insisted. "It's just that Weasley was a natural at chess. He used to beat me fairly often during Chess Club matches."

At that moment, Bippy entered the room with refreshments, after which Luna changed the subject to all the babies soon to be born to their respective families. After a few moments, Harry found that he was actually enjoying the visit, and that Malfoy wasn't so bad, after all, which Harry credited to Luna's influence.

---  
A/N Thanks for reading and reviewing. Keep it coming!  
A/N Next Chapter: An Offer He Couldn't Refuse


	67. An Offer He Couldn't Refuse

Lucius Malfoy straightened his summer-weight robes in an almost unconscious gesture after he appeared at the apparition point near the entrance to Hogwarts. He was running late for a meeting with Horace Slughorn because Hermione had delayed him in a most pleasant way that morning.

Despite his tardiness, Lucius did not hurry, as hurrying was not behavior befitting a Malfoy. Instead, he walked up to the gate at a normal pace, where Argus Filch, with Mrs Norris winding herself around his legs, stood waiting to let him in

"Go right on up," Filch said, unnecessarily. "The Headmaster is waiting for you."

Lucius acknowledged the squib caretaker with a curt nod, then strode confidently up the path to the front entrance.

A few moments later, the elegant wizard stood at the bottom of the moving spiral staircase that led to the headmaster's offce. He quietly spoke the password that Slughorn had supplied in his last owl message: "Influence".

As he slipped into the office proper, he found Horace Slughorn sitting behind the desk, a thin pile of parchment on one side, a cup of tea on the other. A house elf stood at his left side, waiting to assist.

"Come in, come in, m'boy," Slughorn said genially. "Have a seat." As Lucius took an armchair next to Snape's portrait, the Headmaster continued, "Can I get you anything? Tea? Something stronger?"

"Tea would be nice," Lucius allowed.

After the elf served the Malfoy patriarch, Slughorn said, "I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here on such short notice." Without waiting for a reply, he gestured to the pile of parchment and continued, "I've been going through the list of applicants for the Potions position with Severus and neither of us is happy with what we have to choose from. One applicant is blind, another was fired from his last position for blowing up the potions lab, another cannot speak English. Shall I go on?"

"Do continue," Lucius said, waiting for the older man to get to the point.

"What Horace is saying is that we find all the candidates unacceptable," Snape's portrait put in. "I've never seen such a lot of dunderheads in my life...err...in my _experience_."

"That _is _a problem," Lucius drawled "Especially with the start of the school year drawing so close."

Slughorn looked up at Snape's portrait, with Snape looking back at him. "Severus and I have come up with a possible solution, however," the old wizard told him. "We've decided we'd like to ask Draco to come in and be an interim professor. If it works out, we'd consider offering him the job permanently. If not, that would give us time to find another candidate."

"Draco?" Lucius raised one eyebrow. "He's just barely out of school."

"I think he can handle it, Lucius," Snape told his old friend. "Don't underestimate him. He's always been a dab hand at potions and with an extra year of more intensive study at Salem, I would imagine he would be more than qualified to teach. I would also consent to have another portrait of myself put into my old office, so he could always consult me if necessary."

"I would also be available for any guidance he might need," Slughorn added. "It would be a great opportunity for him."

"Now that I think about it, you're right," Lucius conceded. "It could be a stepping stone for him to one day have a position of real influence." The haughty wizard closed his eyes briefly and visualized Draco one day as Headmaster of Hogwarts, every bit as influential as Dumbledore was in his day.

"So, we're all in agreement?" Slughorn inquired. After both Lucius and the Snape portrait nodded, the elder wizard said, "Now, we need to run it by young Mr Malfoy to make sure he's interested in the position before we take it to the other Governors."

"Oh, I'll make sure he sees the benefit to accepting your offer, make no mistake about that," Lucius assured them.

"Why don't we pay him a visit right now," Slughorn suggested. "The sooner we get this position filled, the happier I'll be."

"All right," Lucius agreed. "I would imagine he is at home at the present time."

After promising to fill Snape in on the details of the visit later, Horace Slughorn accompanied Lucius to the apparition point right outside the front gates of the school, where they apparated to Draco's new home.

Lucius rang the bell, which was opened almost immediately by Bippy.

"Master Lucius!" Bippy squeaked. "Come in, please. Master Draco did not tell me he was expecting you."

"He wasn't expecting us," Lucius said smoothly, as he and Slughorn brushed past the elf. "We just thought we'd drop by for awhile."

Lucius entered the main lounge where, to his surprise, he found Draco playing chess with Harry Potter, of all people. Luna sat on the nearby sofa, contentedly reading the _Quibbler_, as the two men joined the young people. Ginny Potter was nowhere in sight, so Lucius assumed that Potter had wisely left his mouthy wife at home.

"Mr Potter," Lucius drawled, raising one eyebrow. "What a surprise."

"Harry came to give us our wedding gift," Luna told her father-in-law calmly from the sofa.

"Yes," Draco confirmed. "It was this chess set we've been playing." He indicated the gift with a sweep of the hand.

Lucius examined the chess set that Draco had indicated. Noting the obviously fine quality of materials and workmanship of the gift, the elder Malfoy realized that Potter had taken some care into choosing such a gift, which pleased him. It was a gift truly worthy of a Malfoy.

Turning back to Harry, he said in a warmer tone of voice, "Thank you, Mr Potter. You have excellent taste and I'm sure Draco and Luna will derive years of enjoyment from your thoughtful gift."

"I was glad to give it," Harry replied awkwardly, nonplussed by Malfoy's uncharacteristic tone. "Perhaps I should be going now and leave all of you to your privacy."

Horace Slughorn looked quickly at Lucius, who intuited his silent thoughts and nodded. "Please remain, Mr Potter," he said. "You might have some interest in what we have to say. Both Horace and I would be most interested in your input. We have a proposal for Draco you might find interesting."

Now curious, Harry resumed his seat at the chess table, while Draco joined Luna on the sofa. He remained silent as Lucius and Slughorn each took easy chairs facing the sofa.

Once everyone was settled, Horace Slughorn looked at Draco and said, "As you probably know, my recent appointment as Headmaster of Hogwarts left a vacancy for Potions Professor. Since that time, I've been working with your father and the other Governors to find a suitable candidate to replace me."

Pausing to take a cup of tea that Bippy offered to him, he continued, "Unfortunately, no candidates even remotely qualified have applied and, now that the new school year is rapidly approaching, we find ourselves pressed for time. But then Severus' portrait came up with the perfect solution."

Looking intently at the young man, he paused again for effect, then said, "Severus suggested we ask you to be interim Professor until a more qualified candidate or, if you and we find it a congenial fit, you accept the position permanently after a year.

Draco sat in stunned silence as he digested Slughorn's words.

"Though you are not a fully accredited Potions Master here at home, both Severus and I know that the accelerated Potions study course you took at Salem was a rigorous one, which should have prepared you sufficiently to pass the Master's exam," Slughorn continued. "I contacted your professor in Salem, who assured me that you would be qualified for the position we are offering you."

"I don't quite know what to say," Draco finally managed. "Luna and I have only just been married and we're expecting a baby."

"It's an excellent opportunity I'd urge you to accept," Lucius told his son, giving him a meaningful glance. "Think it over carefully, but don't take too long. Remember, we have to run it by the Governors' Board for a vote to make it official, but we came to you first to make sure you're interested before presenting it to them."

"I think you ought to accept, too," Harry said quietly. "You were always at the top of the class in Potions. I remember how much you and Hermione always competed with one another in that class."

"Full family quarters would be available to you on Hogwarts grounds, though you'd not be required to live on the grounds," Slughorn told Draco.

"You could always build a another home in Hogsmeade," Lucius put in. "You were already considering building a home; you'd just not yet picked a location."

"I'll be happy with whatever you choose," Luna said serenely. "Do what makes you happy. I'll be happy anywhere, as long as I'm with you."

After giving Luna a smile and a brief kiss on the cheek, Draco remained silent for a moment, then said, "How long do I have to make a decision?"

"There's a Governors' Board meeting the day after tomorrow," Lucius told him. "We'll need to know your decision by then. Remember, you'd not be agreeing to a long term commitment, but only to an interim agreement until another person could be found or if you decide to accept the job permanently."

"All right, I'll do it," Draco announced. "That is, if the Governors' Board approves."

"Excellent," Lucius said, giving his son a tight smile. "I don't anticipate a problem in getting sufficient votes for confirmation, especially after Horace fully explains the situation to them."

"We'll leave you and Luna to discuss it, then," Slughorn said, awkwardly rising from his chair. "I'm sure you both will have a lot to talk about."

"I'll pick you up before the meeting," Lucius promised him. "Or perhaps you and Luna could come for dinner at the penthouse and we could leave from there?"

"That would be fine," Draco said, as he escorted the men to the door.

"I'd better be going as well," Harry said, following the older wizards out. "Congratulations, by the way."

---  
A/N Thanks once again to all the loyal supporters of this story.  
A/N Nest Chapter yet to be named.


	68. A Bit of Girl Talk

"Don't forget that we're having Draco and Luna over tonight for dinner before my Governors' meeting," Lucius told Hermione as he kissed her goodbye at the door of the penthouse.

"I shouldn't be too long," Hermione told him as she transfigured her robes into a muggle maternity dress. "Mum will be picking me up at the muggle entrance to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. We'll probably linger over our meal talking as I've not seen her in weeks.

"Why don't you ask your mother to come back with you to spend the night?" Lucius suggested. "She could have dinner with us and keep you company when Draco and I go to the meeting."

"That's a good idea," Hermione agreed. "Mum wanted to go shopping after we eat, but I'm really too tired for that. I'd really rather just come home after lunch."

"Don't overexert yourself," Lucius warned as he brushed away a stray curl from her face. "You know I worry about you."

"I won't," she promised looking up at him with love. The young witch smiled knowing that many people wouldn't believe her if she ever told them what a mother hen Lucius could be at times.

"I'm going to go have lunch with Narcissa," he told her. "But I should be home fairly early in the afternoon."

"All right," Hermione said. "I'd best be off, as I don't want to keep Mum waiting." Reaching up to give him one last kiss, she said, "Love you!" as she turned and made her way carefully down the stairs.

A few moments later, Hermione carefully slipped into her mother's car from the passenger side. "Hello, Mum," she said breathlessly, reaching over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Were you waiting long?"

"I'd just pulled up before you appeared," she told her daughter. As she merged into traffic, she said, "Make sure to buckle up, dear."

"Yes, Mum," Hermione said, knowing that even though she was about to become a mum herself, her mum would never stop mothering her.

"So, what's new in your world?" Jane Granger asked Hermione a short time later, after the waiter had taken their orders. Jane had driven them to one of Hermione's favorite childhood restaurants on the outskirts of London. "Your owls have been rather few and far between lately."

"I'm sorry, Mum," Hermione apologized. "Things have been rather hectic lately, and I've been rather distracted."

"Tell me," Jane urged. "What's been going on?"

"Did I tell you that Luna and Draco got married already?" Hermione asked. "I can't remember if I wrote you about that or not."

"No, you didn't tell me," her mother replied. "I thought they were supposed to get married in September."

"Well, Luna got pregnant, so they decided to have a quiet wedding with just the family," Hermione told her. "It turns out that neither of them really wanted a big wedding anyway, so it turned out all for the best."

"I imagine Narcissa must have been disappointed," Jane pointed out. "You'd told me she'd been looking forward to planning a big society wedding for them."

"She was at first," Hermione admitted. Leaning closer to her mother, she confided, "But I can assure you that she's not thinking about that at all anymore. She's...pregnant! Can you believe that after she and Lucius tried so many years to have another child after Draco was born?"

"I thought you told me she couldn't have any more children," her mother said. "And I was under the impression that their marriage was no longer intimate, considering the marriage was an arranged one."

"It seems that it was the stress of Lucius being bound to Voldemort and the war that kept her from conceiving," Hermione said. "Now that the war is over and she no longer had to worry about Lucius and Draco, she was able to get pregnant."

"That concerns me," Jane said, frowning. "Now that he's going to have another pureblood child with his wife, I'm afraid he'll regret starting a relationship with you. You need to consider that he might end up leaving you."

"If this had happened when he and I had first gotten together, I might have worried," Hermione admitted. "But I'm not concerned about that now. He loves me, Mum, he truly does. We made vows to one another and that's not something he would have done if he had even the slightest doubts. Purebloods take their magical vows quite seriously and Lucius is no exception."

"I hope you're right," the older woman said dubiously.

"Don't worry, Mum," Hermione said, patting her hand. "Everything will be fine."

At that moment, the waiter returned with their meal. For the next half hour, the women talked about inconsequential matters as they ate the delicious food before then, then lingered over dessert and tea.

"What is it, Hermione?" Jane Granger asked, after having noticed her daughter staring pensively off into space. "You've hardly touched your tiramisu."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "My mind was wandering a bit."

"I could see that," her mother told her. "What's on your mind?"

"Over the last couple of weeks or so, I've been thinking that I don't want to name the baby Lucinda, after all," Hermione said. "I still want to name her after Lucius, but I thought Lucia would be nicer than Lucinda. I don't know why I didn't think of it first."

"You're right," the older woman said. "I like Lucia much better. Why is changing the baby's name bothering you? It's not as if she was already born and knew her own name already."

"Well, I've told everyone I'm naming her Lucinda and I feel rather silly changing it now," Hermione said.

"Don't worry about what other people think," her mother said firmly. "What does Lucius think about it?"

"I haven't told him yet," Hermione said. "I don't want him to think I'm indecisive."

"Nonsense," Jane said. "Tell him when you go home. I daresay that he'll like Lucia better, too, as it's a closer match for Lucius than Lucinda is."

"Oh, that reminds me," the young witch said. "Lucius invited you to dinner tonight and suggested that you spend the night, as he's got a Governor's meeting tonight and he was worried about me to spend the evening alone."

"I'd love to," Jane said, smiling. "I was also planning to offer to come stay with you for a week or two after the baby is born, so you can take some time to recover from giving birth." After a short pause, she added, "That is, if Lucius doesn't mind."

"Oh, Mum, that would be great," Hermione said. "And Lucius won't mind. I'm sure he'll understand that a woman needs her Mum at a time like that.

Reaching into her purse, Jane fished out her mobile phone. "Let me just call your father and let him know I'll be staying tonight, then."

A half hour later, the two women entered the penthouse. Hermione had instructed her mother to drive into a deserted alley near the Leaky Cauldron in order for her to reduce the car, so that her mother wouldn't have to leave it on the street overnight or pay to park it in a garage. After she'd reduced the car to the size of a toy, she'd placed it in a spell-proof container for safekeeping until she was ready to return the vehicle to its normal size.

As they entered the penthouse, Hermione realized that Lucius wasn't home yet from Malfoy Manor.

"Why don't we have a cup of tea in the library while we wait for Lucius," Hermione suggested. "Go have a seat, while I see what Breezy has in the kitchen."

After Hermione had left the room, Jane walked over to the bookshelves and began to glance idly at the various book titles. Her eye was caught by the title of one book, "_Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles_" by Wilhelm Wigworthy. Curious, she plucked the book off the shelf and took it back to the sofa to peruse while waiting for Hermione to return.

Jane Granger was both amused and appalled after reading only a few paragraphs of this utterly clueless book. She seriously wondered if the author of the book had ever stepped foot out of the cocoon of the wizarding world and seen how the majority of the world lived before penning this ridiculous text. It was no wonder that people like Lucius Malfoy grew up with skewed attitudes toward the non-magical world after having been exposed to rubbish like this.

She was still chuckling in disbelief when Hermione re-entered the room a few moments later. Looking up at her daughter, who had changed back into robes, she said, "I can't believe you have this rubbish book on your shelves." She held up the book so Hermione could see what she was talking about.

"Oh, that was one of my school books," Hermione admitted ruefully. "Harry and I used to always laugh at how silly it was."

"Why did Dumbledore allow such an inaccurate book to be used at Hogwarts?" Jane asked. "Surely, he wasn't that clueless."

"Actually, Mum, he could be rather clueless about a lot of things," the younger woman said. "He was kind of like the stereotype of the absent minded professor a lot of the time."

"Do they still use this book at Hogwarts?" Jane asked.

"As far as I know," Hermione said. "I think they've been too busy getting things back to normal after the war, that they've not had time to consider improving textbook choices."

"You could write a much better textbook than this drivel," her mother insisted. "And you should. It's the perfect job for you. You could write it at home, so you'd still be around for the baby when she needed you."

"Actually, Lucius and I have talked about that," Hermione said, smiling. "We both agree that both the way muggleborns are introduced to the wizarding world and the Muggle Studies curriculum are in urgent need of an overhaul."

"Did I hear my name mentioned?" Lucius was standing in the doorway smiling down on the two women.

"Oh, we were talking about that silly Muggle Studies textbook," Hermione explained. "Mum thinks I could write a better one."

"I've been telling Hermione that all along," Lucius told his mother-in-law, as he came into the room to take a seat by Hermione. Giving her a kiss on the cheek, he murmured, "Please forgive me for not being home sooner, but Narcissa wanted my opinion on her plans to redecorate Draco's old nursery."

"No need to apologize," Hermione said. "It's quite understandable that she's excited by the new baby."

"Congratulations, by the way," Jane added. "You're certainly going to be a very busy man with two new babies."

"That I am," Lucius agreed, smiling.

"Mum has offered to come stay for a week or two after the baby is born, so I can recover from the birth faster," Hermione told him. "It will be easier on Breezy, too, if she's around."

"That's quite gracious of you, Jane," Lucius said sincerely. "We appreciate your thoughtfulness."

"I'll be thrilled to do it," the muggle woman assured him. "I can't wait to hold my first grandchild in my arms."

"Draco is also about to be offered the Potions professorship at Hogwarts," Lucius informed her proudly, changing the subject. "That's what tonight's Governors' meeting is about."

"That's wonderful," the muggle woman responded in a tone of voice that made Hermione realize her mother was probably wondering why _she_ wasn't offered the post."

Draco and Luna arrived fifteen minutes late for dinner, so the meal turned into a hurried affair with minimal conversation. Hermione knew that Lucius was irked by his son's tardiness, but also knew that he'd not comment on it in front of Hermione's mother. It wasn't necessary, as his tight-lipped demeanor clearly conveyed his feelings on the matter to his son. She didn't envy Draco once his father got him alone and would no doubt strongly express his opinion of his son's lapse in etiquette.

"I would love to stay and visit with you and your mother this evening," Luna said at the conclusion of the meal, as Lucius and Draco were getting up to leave for the meeting. "But I'm feeling rather queasy and I think I'd rather go home and take a nap. I certainly hope it isn't Wrackspurts making me sick."

"Oh, I'm sure it isn't," Hermione said, taking great effort to keep from rolling her eyes. "I felt nauseated all through my early pregnancy, so I'm sure that's all it is. It should go away in a month or so."

"I hope you're right," the younger witch said, with the barest hint of a frown. "I think I'll floo home, rather than apparate, as that doesn't upset my stomach quite so much."

Lucius and Draco also intended to use the floo to travel to the meeting, so they waited to allow the young blond witch to go first.

"Don't wait up for me," Draco said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek as they stood in front of the fireplace. "I'll be home as quickly as I can."

As his daughter-in-law disappeared into a cloud of green smoke, Lucius had taken Hermione into his arms for a tender kiss, "We'll probably be rather late at the meeting, so go to bed whenever you feel tired," he murmured. "I'll try not to disturb you if you're asleep when I come in."

"All right," she said, giving him a lingering kiss. "Good luck to Draco."

A moment later, the two men disappeared into a cloud of green smoke, one after the other, leaving Hermione and her mother to spend a quiet evening at home.

---  
A/N Thanks, everyone. Without your support, I'd never have written such a long story!  
A/N Next chapter has yet to be given a title.


	69. Pillow Talk

It was nearly midnight before Lucius returned home to the penthouse. As he slipped into the bedroom, he found Hermione snoring, sprawled in the easy chair by the window, an open book on the floor by her feet. She was dressed in her nightclothes and he smiled down at her sleeping form, knowing she'd tried to wait up for him.

After picking the book up and setting it on the small lamp table next to her chair, Lucius gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He murmured a wandless spell that pulled down the duvet and the top sheet.

The blond wizard moved slowly and carefully to avoiding waking Hermione, as he set her gently on the bed. It was of no use, however, as her eyelids fluttered open and she looked up at him with a sleepy smile.

"You're home," she burbled in a sleep-thick voice. "I tried to wait up for you."

"I'm sorry I'm so late," Lucius said quietly. He was now sitting on the side of the bed beside her as he began removing his clothing. "But we had a bit of a debate before Draco was finally confirmed as the new Potions professor."

"So Draco did get hired," she observed. "That's wonderful. I'm sure he and Luna are thrilled."

"Ecstatic," Lucius assured her. He'd slipped into a pair of silk pajama bottoms and had now crawled into bed beside her. "Snape's old quarters will also be expanded into a family suite for them to live in."

"Luna will enjoy living at Hogwarts, I'm guessing," Hermione predicted. "She'll find plenty to keep herself busy with there."

"Draco plans to build a new home in Hogsmeade," Lucius told her. "So, I would imagine they'll only live on the grounds for the first year. Once the baby is born, they'll want their privacy."

"I don't blame them," Hermione said. "I don't think I'd care to live down in the dungeons."

"Draco isn't wild about the idea himself, but as well as being hired at Potions professor, he will also be Head of Slytherin, as Professor Sinistra turned down that position," he told her. "For that reason, it will be essential for him to live on the grounds for at least the first year in order to establish his authority with the Slytherin student body."

"That makes sense," Hermione siad. After a pause, she stretched and grimaced slightly.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked, frowning. "Is it your back again?"

"Yes!" Hermione exclaimed. "It's almost as if the baby is pressing on my spine; it's like she weighs 20 pounds already."

"Lie down," Lucius commanded. "I'll give you a back rub."

After assuming the proper position, Hermione moaned as Lucius began to massage her spine. "Ohhh, that hits the spot," she murmured. "You have magic hands."

For the next few minutes, neither spoke, as Hermione concentrated on the soothing sensations created by Lucius' hands, feeling the tension slowly slipping away.

"I wonder if I'm ever going to give birth," Hermione said a little while later. "I'm already a couple of days overdue."

"Don't worry, love," Lucius told her. "A Malfoy always knows the right time to make an entrance."

"I suppose you're right," she said with a little grin. "But I'm dearly sick of being pregnant."

"I can understand that," Lucius allowed, feeling quite glad that he wasn't a woman.

A moment later, Hermione hesitantly said, "I've been thinking that I'd rather name our baby Lucia, rather than Lucinda. I think it's a closer match to Lucius, plus it sounds nicer."

"You're right," he said. "It does sound better. And she can use Lucy as a nickname, if she likes. Let's do it."

"I don't know why I didn't think of it first of all," she said. "But I happened to glance through a baby naming book some time ago and Lucia jumped right out at me."

"Mmm," Lucius said, yawning. "I'm getting sleepy."

"Me, too," Hermione agreed. "You keep rubbing my back like that and I'll be asleep in no time."

"Exactly what I intended, my dear," he murmured.  
---

On the other side of London, Ginny Potter stood in the shower, hoping that the cascading waves of hot water would ease the increased back pain she'd been feeling that day. The pains had stepped up in intensity and were now accompanied by intermittent stomach pain as well. She gripped the shower walls as another wave of stomach pain began, trying not to moan and wake up Harry.

A moment later, she heard a tap on the shower glass. "Ginny?" Harry called out. "Are you all right? This is the third time tonight you've taken a shower."

"Go back to bed, Harry," she called out, her voice sharp from the pain. "I'll be out shortly."

She waited as heard Harry reluctantly shuffle out of the bathroom, then turned off the water and performed a wandless drying charm on herself. After donning her night clothes again, she gingerly made her way back to bed, as the pain in her stomach subsided.

As she eased into bed, Harry looked at her with concern. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked. "Don't you think that it might be the baby coming?"

"It's a little early; I'm not due for another week or two," Ginny replied. "But I suppose you could be right."

"I'm going to go get your Mum," Harry said firmly. "She'll certainly know if you're in labor."

"I hate to wake her," Ginny said. "She needs her sleep."

"She won't mind," Harry assured her. "In fact, she'll be angry if you are in labor and didn't bother to tell her about it."

"You're right," Ginny admitted reluctantly, now sitting up on the side of the bed. She'd not yet had another stomach pain, but she still felt queasy and unsettled.

"I'll be right back," Harry said as he opened the door to leave the room. After padding barefoot across the hall, he knocked softly on Molly's door. "Mrs Weasley," he called out.

Molly opened the door almost at once. "What is it, Harry?" she asked wearily. "It must be three in the morning!"

"It's Ginny," he said, with a hint of impatience in his voice. "I think she might be in labor."

"All right," Molly said, "Let me go and talk to Ginny and have a look, then."

Harry followed his mother-in-law back into his bedroom where they found Ginny in the adjacent bathroom sicking up into the toilet.

"Oh, dear," Molly said. Turning to Harry, she asked, "Do you have any anti-nausea potions around?"

Harry rummaged in a drawer in the small table beside the bed until he found the proper potion, then brought the bottle to Molly.

"Here, Ginny, drink this," Molly told her daughter after she'd finished vomiting and was washing her face at the sink. "It will help."

As the younger witch obeyed. Molly said, "Harry told me you think that you might be in labor." After Ginny nodded, the older witch said, "I think you may be right, but tell me your symptoms."

"Well, the back pain has gotten much worse," Ginny began. "And I've been having pretty severe stomach pains that come and go." She paused briefly, then added, "And the nausea. This is the second time I've sicked up."

"How frequently are the stomach pains coming," Molly asked.

"Oh, let's see, maybe every ten minutes or so," the younger witch replied vaguely. "I've not been timing them, but that seems about right."

"Well, I think it's safe to say that you are indeed in the early stages of labor," the Weasley matiarch determined. "Though you would probably be all right if you waited until morning, I'd feel better if you went to St. Mungo's now, just to be on the safe side."

Turning to Harry, Molly instructed "Why don't you get Ginny's hospital bag ready, then get her to the hospital right away. I'm going to floo home and tell Arthur, then alert the rest of the family. We'll have an early breakfast then meet you at St. Mungo's in a little while. I'll bring you some breakfast to the hospital, so you won't get too hungry, as the labor will likely go on for several hours."

Giving Ginny a hug, she said, "I won't be too long, dear. I'd better get dressed now and get ready to go."

After the older woman had bustled from the room, Harry asked Ginny, "Where did you put the bag with the stuff you wanted to take to the hospital?"

"I reduced it and put it in the right dresser drawer," Ginny told him. "Everything I need is in there. All we have to do is get dressed and go."

Harry wasted no time dressing. He'd pulled on a t-shirt and jeans and was tying the laces of his trainers by the time Ginny was ready to go. She'd just thrown a robe on over her night clothes and slipped on a pair of sandals, so she'd be more comfortable.

As the expectant couple made their way to the floo, Harry turned to Ginny and squeezed her hand. "Just imagine. When we both come back home, we'll be parents!"

--  
A/N Nearly 900 reviews! Thanks, everyone.  
A/N Hermione telling Lucius that he had "magic hands", is, of course, a reference to the 1976 Heart song, "Magic Man".  
A/N Next chapter yet to be named.


	70. Labor

The reception area to the maternity ward at St Mungo's was empty when Harry and Ginny arrived. As they walked up to the reception desk, Ginny felt another stomach pain coming on. She stumbled from the intensity of the ache with a twisted grimace on her face.

Harry quickly helped her to a seat, then turned back to the reception desk, "My wife is in labor!" he exclaimed loudly to the bored women behind the desk. "Get someone out here to help her right now!"

The receptionist rolled her eyes heavenward. From the way he was going on, one would think that this was the first time anyone had ever had a baby at St Mungo's. Nevertheless, she placed her wand to her throat and said, "Orderly to the receptionist desk immediately," which was magically emplified and transferred over the intercom system.

"Are you all right, Gin," Harry asked her, worried. His head snapped back to the reception desk. "Where's that orderly?" he demanded.

Before the receptionist could reply, an orderly appeared with a magical wheelchair. It differed from the muggle version in that it had no actual wheels, but merely hovered in the air at the correct height.

With practiced movements, the young orderly helped Ginny into the chair. He told Harry, "I'm moving her to labor room 2, where the healer will arrive shortly to examine her. You may follow me or you may wait for the rest of your family in the labor waiting room, which is through these doors." He indicated the door from which he'd just emerged.

Harry did not reply, but followed close behind the orderly, who directed Ginny's chair to the left once they went through the doors, then down to the corridor to the second to last room on the right.

As they entered the room, a healer's aide was waiting to take charge of Ginny, to help get her comfortable until the midwife arrived to check her labor's progress.

"Hello, I'm Rolande and I'll be taking care of you in between the midwife's visits," the young aide told her. Noting Harry's scar, she said to Ginny, "You're Mrs Potter, aren't you."

Harry rolled his eyes as Ginny answered affirmatively, but otherwise said nothing. He was used to it by now.

"If you'll excuse us for a few moments, Mr Potter, I'll get Mrs Potter undressed and ready for examination," the aide continued briskly.

"Go see if Mum is here yet," Ginny ordered. "I want her near me while I'm going through all of this."

"All right," Harry said slowly. "I'll be back shortly."

He left the room quickly, then sauntered back into the reception area. Finding it empty, he took a seat to wait for the arrival of Weasley family members. Harry didn't have to wait for long, however, as Molly Weasley came bustling in a few minutes later, with Arthur following her at a more sedate pace.

"Well, where is Ginny and why aren't you with her?" Molly demanded when she saw Harry sitting alone in the reception area. "I've notified everyone and they should all be here shortly."

"She's in the labor room," Harry snapped, irritation clearly evident in his voice. "The healer's aide shooed me out of the room so she could get Ginny ready for the midwife's examination." After a pause, he added, "And Ginny told me to come out here and wait for you."

"That's one reason I had my babies at home," Molly sniffed. "I was able to do it my way without strangers interfering. I wish you and Ginny had taken my advice and done the same."

Before Harry could tell her just what he thought, Arthur stepped in. "Now, Molly, Harry and Ginny are adults. It's not our place to tell them where their child should be born."

Giving Arthur a grateful glance, Harry rose from his seat and said, "The aide is probably finished with Ginny by now. Let's go in; she's probably wondering where we are." He led his in-laws to the labor room, where they found Ginny in bed wearing a hospital gown.

Molly took a seat next to Ginny, then demanded, "Has the midwife examined you yet?"

"No, but they've owled her and she's on her way," Ginny reported. "I hope it doesn't take too long; I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"First babies generally take longer to come than if you've had children before," Molly warned her. "It may be rough on you, but I promise you that you'll forget all about it once you have your beautiful baby in your arms."

"I hope you're right, Mum," Ginny said, grimacing as another wave of pain hit her. "But it seems as if I'll have an awful lot to forget."

----

Much later that afternoon, Hermione Granger-Malfoy undressed herself for a bath prior to dressing for the evening meal. Less than a minute after she'd removed her knickers and set them aside, she felt a warm gush of fluid between her legs.

"Finally!" she said out loud. Hermione had been feeling stomach pain on and off for much of the day, but hadn't quite believed that she was actually in labor. Now that her water had broken, she knew that her time had arrived at last.

Figuring that she had a bit of time before hard labor began in earnest, she climbed into the waiting tub. There would be no chance for a complete bath once she got to St. Mungo's, so she took advantage of the opportunity she had.

Once inside the tub, she called out for Breezy. No sooner than she'd spoken the elf's name than she heard the distinctive crack of apparition.

"Mistress called for Breezy?" the elf inquired, a concerned expression on her little face.

"Please go tell Lucius that I need him in here," Hermione told her.

"Right away, Mistress Hermione," Breezy replied, then promptly popped out of the room.

A moment later Lucius appeared in the doorway. "What is it, love?" he asked. "Breezy said you needed me."

Suddenly inexplicably shy, Hermione looked down at the water and said softly, "I think I'm in labor, Lucius."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she affirmed. "I'd been having some stomach pain earlier, but my water broke while I was getting undressed just now."

"Why didn't you tell me about the stomach pain before?" Lucius demanded.

"I wasn't sure what it was," she told him slowly. "And I didn't want to get your hopes up unnecessarily if I was wrong."

"Let me help you out of the tub, then," Lucius said decisively. "I'll use my wand to dry and dress you. Breezy already has your hospital bag packed, so we can be off to St Mungo's within five minutes."

"We're not in that much of a hurry," Hermione assured him, smiling broadly now. "From how my books have described labor, I'm only in the early stages. It could be hours before I give birth." Reaching out her hand for him, she said, "Why don't you get naked and join me in here. It might be quite awhile before we get to bathe together again."

"All right," Lucius agreed. After waving his wand at himself, his robes disappeared. He climbed gingerly into the large tub, careful not to jostle Hermione.

"I remember that Narcissa was in labor for two days before giving birth to Draco," Lucius told her after he'd settled in beside her and began washing her back. "She had a very hard time, as I recall."

"I'm hoping I'll be like my Mum," Hermione replied, repressing a shudder at the notion of being in labor for two days. "She was in labor with me for only six hours."

"I've heard that muggle women typically have an easier time having babies than do pureblooded witches," Lucius observed. "Perhaps this is also true of muggleborn witches."

"Not all muggle women have an easy time of it," she told him. "It varies widely from woman to woman."

"Why don't you lean back and I'll wash your hair for you," he told her, changing the subject. "It may be awhile before you get another chance."

"That would be lovely," Hermione sighed, leaning back almost into Lucius' lap.

Neither spoke for the next few minutes as they enjoyed the pleasure of human touch and simply being together. Hermione could sense the love emanating from Lucius as his strong fingers expertly worked shampoo through her curly brown tresses.

After he was finished, she remained lying against him for several moments, wishing the moment could last longer. Eventually, however, she sat up reluctantly. Turning to face him, she said, "I suppose we should get ready and go. The pains are coming somewhat more often now, and there's no point just sitting here waiting around."

"You're right," he agreed. "Let's get on with it."

Lucius helped Hermione out of the tub, then quickly dried and dressed her using magic, before dressing himself.

"I'd better do something about my hair," Hermione said as she looked at herself in the mirror. "I don't want it all over the place while I'm at the hospital." Thinking for a moment, she picked up her wand and with a muttered incantation, her hair was tightly woven into a single plait at back.

Satisfied, she entered the bedroom, where she found Lucius now impeccably dressed in summer-weight robes.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked. "I'll take you by side-along apparition, as I don't want you to risk splinching yourself or the baby."

"Just about," she said, walking into the library to the writing desk. "I want to send an owl to Mum and Dad and let them know what's going on."

After she'd penned a quick note to her parents, she turned to Lucius. "I just realized! How will Mum and Dad get into St Mungo's?"

"Tell them that Draco will come and apparate them there in a short while," Lucius instructed. "I'll have to send him an owl as well after you're done."

A few minutes later, Lucius and Hermione stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked Diagon Alley.

Looking down at Hermione, Lucius smiled as she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Ready?"

"Let's go," she affirmed. "I'm more than ready."

With no further ado, Lucius disapparated them with a loud pop.

---  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers that have inspired me to keep writing this story for over a year.  
A/N Next chapter yet to be named.


	71. At St Mungo's

A moment later, Lucius and Hermione walked up to the same reception desk that Harry and Ginny had come to many hours earlier. A different receptionist was at the desk, one with a more professional attitude.

The receptionist took one look at Hermione and correctly assessed what the couple was there for. Smiling at Hermione, she said, "I presume you're in labour?" After Hermione confirmed it, the young witch asked, "May I have your name please?"

"Hermione Granger-Malfoy," the other witch replied.

At hearing this, the receptionist took a closer look at Hermione's companion and realized he was the ex-Death Eater, Voldemort's right-hand man, Lucius Malfoy. And the same Lucius Malfoy that had contributed the money for St Mungo's new wing, the Malfoy Wing. He was _that_ Malfoy. And Hermione was his muggleborn consort and former sidekick of Harry Potter, whose wife was still laboring a short distance away.

"I am calling an orderly now to escort you to your labour room," the receptionist told them. "Please have a seat and he'll be here in a moment."

"I've reserved the private labour suite closest to the delivery room, if you'll kindly check your records," Lucius told the witch quietly after Hermione had taken a seat.

He didn't want Hermione to hear that he'd arranged for superior accommodations for her, as she'd insist she didn't need anything better than what everyone else had, with her misplaced Gryffindor sense of honor.

The private labour suite had its own tastefully furnished waiting room for family and friends, a small snack bar, and its own private entrance to the delivery room. Unlike the ordinary labour rooms, it was furnished with expensive, one of a kind furniture pieces, to give the labouring witch the same comfort she would have in her bedroom at home, while also equipped with the latest in magical medical devices. Soft music was piped into the room, which added to the cozy ambience. A private healer's aide was also assigned to this room, who would have no other patients to care for.

After checking her records, the receptionist smiled up at Lucius, "Yes, the deluxe suite has indeed been reserved for Mrs Granger-Malfoy." Looking closer, she added, "And the reservations for Mrs Narcissa Malfoy and Mrs Luna Malfoy are also confirmed for several months from now. It is all in order."

"Excellent," Lucius said, giving the young woman a genuine smile. His contributions to the hospital were indeed paying off.

At that moment, the orderly arrived with the hovering transport chair. Before Hermione could rise from her seat, the orderly flicked his wand and expertly levitated her into the chair.

"Let's do this," Hermione said with a brave smile, smiling up at Lucius as he moved to walk alongside her chair, his hand protectively on her shoulder.

As the orderly turned the chair toward the entrance to the labour room, Molly Weasley came barreling out, with Harry following several paces behind. Not looking where she was going, she ran right into Lucius, who was forced to take a step back, as the Weasley matriarch had been moving under a full head of steam.

"Ooof!," she exclaimed. "Please excuse..." Her words died in her throat, when she looked up and saw who she'd just collided with. Her eyes narrowing in disgust, as she jumped back from him as if the physical contact had somehow contaminated her. "You!" she hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm delighted to see you, too," Lucius drawled, a sardonic expression on his face. "But the last time I checked, you did not own this hospital and thus do not have any say in who uses these facilities." He turned his gaze from her to pointedly call attention to the opposite wall where a plaque reading, "Malfoy Wing" was prominently displayed. Raising one eyebrow, he murmured, "I trust you see my meaning?"

"You just try and have me thrown out of here!" Molly challenged, her voice growing louder by the moment. "Your money can't buy everything, Lucius Malfoy! There's nothing that is going to keep me from my daughter when she's about to give birth!"

At this point Harry broke in, "Mrs Weasley, please! Mr Malfoy knows you don't like him! You don't have to remind him of that fact every time you see him! Can't you just ignore his presence and go about your own business for once!."

Turning on Harry, she began, "How dare you --," but Harry cut her off.

"No!" he exclaimed, "How dare _you_! Think about someone else other than yourself, for once! Mr Malfoy and Hermione have done nothing to you; they're here for the same reason we are! And Ginny is having a hard time -- you need to think about not upsetting her rather than worrying about some ancient family feud all the time!"

Sparing Lucius and Hermione an apologetic glance, he said, "I'm so sorry, please forgive us."

"Quite all right, Mr Potter," Lucius said, pitying the young man. "You are only responsible for your own behavior, not that of errant relatives." After a pause, he said, "Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to see Hermione settled in her labour room."

"Stop by and visit awhile when you get a chance, Harry," Hermione said with an encouraging smile. "I may be in there for hours waiting to give birth."

"Sure," he agreed, as he watched Molly stalk away, heading to the hospital cafeteria. "It'll give me a bit of a break from the Weasleys. Ginny's been in labour for an awfully long time and Molly gets more annoying with every passing hour."

"We'll see you in a little while, then," Hermione said in parting as the orderly began moving the chair again.

A moment later, they passed a room from which they could hear a barely-muffled commotion going on.

Lucius regarded the door with his lip curled in contempt. "Weasleys!" he hissed. "It sounds as if they're having a brawl in there rather than awaiting the birth of a baby. No wonder Mr Potter left the room." Aiming his wand, he cast a sound dampening spell, so that none of the Weasley ruckus would filter down to Hermione's room to disturb her.

As they entered the suite in which Hermione would endure labour before her time in the delivery room, they found Calandra Jones waiting for them. Lucius was pleased at her promptness; he'd sent an owl alerting her of their imminent arrival when he'd owled Draco before they left the penthouse.

"Here you are," Calandra said with a smile. "If you'll excuse us, Mr Malfoy, we'll get Hermione examined and see just how she's progressing. It shouldn't take but a few minutes."

"All right," Lucius said agreeably. "I need to go out to the reception area to wait for my son to arrive, anyway." Taking Hermione's hand, he murmured, "I won't be gone long, love."

"Go ahead," Hermione told him. "I'll be fine."

Lucius retraced his steps back to the reception area and, thankfully, did not encounter any Weasleys along the way. As he re-entered the reception area, he saw Draco approaching from the flooing lobby.

"Ah, right on time," Lucius said briskly as his son joined him. "I have something I need you to do for me."

Draco did not speak, but waited for his father to elaborate.

"I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but there is really no one else who can do it," he began. "I need for you to go get Hermione's parents and apparate them here."

"It's no problem, Father," Draco told him. "I'd be happy to do it." After a pause, he asked, "How is Hermione doing, by the way?"

"She's with the midwife now, who is examining her to see how much longer she has to go," he replied. Turning back to re-enter the labour and delivery area, he said, "We'll be in the room at the end of the hall, closest to the delivery room when you and the Grangers arrive. Just send them directly in, as we have our own private waiting room in the suite."

"I'll be back shortly," Draco promised, heading back out the way he came in.

"Mr Malfoy!" Lucius turned to see a weedy looking wizard in his late 20s standing before him. The young man, wearing faded and patched robes, had a Dictoquill and notepad hovering in the air in front of him.

"And you are?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm Nigel Bloodworth of the Daily Prophet," the younger man said. "May I presume that your, er, ah, _consort_, Hermione Granger-Malfoy is here about to give birth? And can you confirm rumors that Harry Potter's wife is also at the hospital in labour?"

"Mrs Granger-Malfoy is indeed soon to give birth," Lucius told the reporter briefly. "As for the Potter baby, I would suggest you ask Mr Potter yourself." Lucius turned to indicate Harry who was returning from the other direction.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to." Lucius took advantage of the other man's momentary distraction to make his exit.

As he approached Hermione's room, he met Calandra Jones coming out.

"So, how is she?" Lucius asked quietly as he joined the midwife.

"I just finished examining her and I can assure you that she's doing fine," she told him with a smile. "Her contractions are coming closer together, so I predict she'll have a short and smooth labour."

"That's wonderful news," he said, obviously relieved. He'd been prepared for a long, drawn-out wait, as he'd had when Narcissa gave birth to Draco.

"Why don't you go in and sit with Hermione for awhile," she suggested. "I need to go check on Mrs Potter, but I'll be back in a little while to check on Hermione again."

Lucius thanked her, then entered the room to find Hermione propped up in bed with a book.

At the sight of him in the doorway, Hermione closed the book and put it aside, smiling up at him as he moved to take a seat by the side of her bed.

Taking her hand and squeezing it, he murmured, "It won't be long now, love.

---  
A/N Thanks again to all my readers, new and old  
A/N Ahhhhhh, a cliffhanger. I promise the baby will be born in the next chapter, however.  
A/N Next chapter: Lucia Jane Malfoy


	72. Lucia Jane Malfoy

A short time later, after hearing the door squeal open, Lucius and Hermione looked up to see Draco returning, with Hermione's parents trailing closely behind. As Lucius stood to properly greet the new arrivals, Jane Granger rushed to her daughter's side, with her husband on her heels

Taking her daughter's hand, Jane asked, "How are you doing, dear? Are you in a lot of pain?"

"I'm having a reasonable amount of discomfort right now, as is to be expected," Hermione reported calmly. "But it's nothing I can't manage. I've been applying some of the useful tips from my books to help me through it all."

"That's wonderful, dear," her mother said, beaming.

Reaching up to take Lucius' hand," Hermione continued, "And Lucius has been wonderful in distracting me from it. We've been discussing the use of runes in creating wards." She held up the book she'd been reading to emphasize her point.

"That's my Hermione," Kenneth laughed. "You've always been able to successfully turn to books when you need distraction from your troubles."

After setting the book back down, she picked up a flat, square box, bound in black leather. "And this is what Lucius gave me to commemorate our daughter's birth. She opened the leather case to reveal an exquisitely priceless necklace: a 30 carat cornflower blue, tear-shaped sapphire, surrounded by large, round, flawless diamonds, which extended upwards from the pendant, all the way around the necklace. She held it up briefly to her neck, so her parents could see how it looked on her.

"That's simply the most beautiful piece of jewelry I've ever seen," Jane Granger breathed, knowing that the Queen had nothing finer than what Lucius had given to Hermione. "You have excellent taste, Lucius,"

"I try," Lucius said with false modesty. He took the necklace, now replaced in its box, from Hermione, then reduced it for safe-keeping.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Hermione?" her mother asked.

"Oh, no," the younger woman replied. "Just having you here is all I need."

"Let me show you the private lounge area where you can get something to eat," Lucius told the muggle couple.

"I could use a snack," Draco said, following his father and the muggles. He wasn't really all that hungry, but he felt awkward being left alone in the room with his father's labouring consort. Seeing Hermione in this situation only served to remind him of what she and his father had done together to put her into this position, a visual that made him want to scrub his mind with bleach.

As the muggle couple explored the private waiting area, Lucius took Draco aside and told him in a low voice, "I want you to go home and tell your mother where I am and what's going on. She and I were supposed to have dinner with the Goyles tonight, so I don't want her to worry where I am."

"All right," Draco said, glad to be given an opportunity to leave. He planned to return later with Luna once the baby had been born, but he really didn't want to hang around the hospital waiting for it to happen.

---

"Auuuuugggggh!" Ginny Potter cried out as yet another labor pain sliced through her body. "Am I ever going to have this baby?"

"You're not dilating," Molly Weasley told her daughter. "The healer said you have to relax so your body can do the job it was designed for."

"Relax!?" Ginny roared indignantly. "You must be kidding! My body feels like someone is trying to tear me in half! _Crucio_ has to feel better than this!" She began rocking the bed hard as the pain crescendoed.

Harry pressed his lips together tightly at his wife's last sentiment, knowing that Hermione would probably beg to differ with her. She wouldn't speak so carelessly about the Cruciatus curse if she'd ever been under the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange as Hermione had been.

He didn't comment, however, as he knew it wasn't the time nor the place to try to reason with her. Her family had been doing their best to distract her from the pain for several hours now, but as the hours slowly dragged by with little progress toward birth, it became more difficult to get her mind off her travail.

At that moment, Calandra Jones arrived to give Ginny yet another examination. Harry took advantage of the distraction to slip out of the room, deciding it was time to go check to see how Hermione was progressing.

As he proceeded down the corridor to Hermione's room, he met Draco Malfoy coming out.

"Potter," the other wizard greeted him. "Here to see Hermione, I assume?" Indicating the door with a sweep of his hand, "She's in there. I don't doubt that she'll be glad to see you."

"Oh, Ginny's in labour, too," Harry told him. "The midwife is with her now, so I thought I'd come down and see Hermione for a few minutes."

The younger Malfoy didn't blame him for wanting to get away from the gaggle of Weasleys, even for a few minutes. Even Granger, the mudblood, was vastly preferable to that lot of loutish blood traitors. Knowing discretion was the better part of valour, however, he kept these thoughts to himself.

"Well, Luna is expecting me, so I'd best get moving," Draco said instead. "Congratulations on your new son, by the way. I believe I heard that you and the Weaslette are expecting a boy?"

"That's right," Harry said, choosing to ignore him calling Ginny 'Weaslette'. "Thanks for the best wishes. And tell Luna I said hello."

"I will," Draco told him. "You'll have to come by again soon to play chess."

"Sure, I'd like that," Harry said.

After saying their final good-byes, Harry entered the room and found her chatting with her mother, with her father and Lucius talking quietly in a corner of the room.

He also noticed that the room was much more luxuriously appointed that the room Ginny had been assigned to. Through an open door, he saw what appeared to be a lavishly appointed private waiting room. Sighing inwardly, he chose not to comment. It was expected that Lucius Malfoy would use his influence in this manner, but Harry was glad that Hermione was the beneficiary of such wielding of influence.

"Harry!" Hermione called out warmly as soon as she saw him appear in the doorway. "Come on over and have a seat!"

After he did as she'd directed, Harry said, "It's good to see you again, Mrs Granger, Mr Granger." He inclined his head to the muggle with Lucius Malfoy to include him in the greeting.

"How is Ginny getting along?" Hermione asked, mainly out of politeness and respect for Harry. "From what I hear she's been in labour quite a long while."

"The baby doesn't seem to be any hurry to be born," Harry told her. "And with Ginny being so tense, it's making the pain worse, which is only delaying the process."

"Didn't she learn those relaxation techniques in the book that the midwife gave us?" Hermione asked. puzzled.

"Well, you know Ginny," Harry said helplessly. "She was never one who liked reading all that much. She'd just figured that because her Mum had an easy time having babies, that she would, too."

"That's a shame," Hermione said, sighing. "The relaxation techniques have been of immense help to me and the midwife has said, I'm moving along quite nicely and should have a relatively short labour."

"That's good to know," Harry replied, smiling.

Hermione winced slightly then as another labour pain hit her. Despite the pain, she smiled as she realized the pains were coming at shorter intervals. It wouldn't be long now.

"Are you all right," Harry asked her, concerned. "You look as if you're in pain."

"It's all right, Harry," she assured him. "The pains are coming more often now, which means I probably don't have much longer to wait."

Before he could respond, the door opened again to admit Narcissa Malfoy, who swept regally into the room, impeccably dressed in sky blue robes. Immediately spotting Lucius, she called out to him, "Draco stopped by and told me that Hermione was in labour and I got here as quickly as I could."

After exchanging a quick kiss with her husband, she turned her attention to Hermione, "How are you feeling, dear? I hope you're not experiencing too much discomfort."

"I'm fine, Narcissa," Hermione told her serenely. "Everything is going smoothly so far."

"I'm so glad to hear that," she replied. Noticing Harry for the first time, she said, "Mr Potter, how nice to see you. My son informed me that your wife is also about to give birth. I wish you my sincerest congratulations on the adventure you are about to begin."

"Thank you," Harry said. "And, if not for you, I'd not be here today about to become a father. I don't know if I ever thanked you properly for saving my life, but I'll always be in your debt."

"You're quite welcome," she told him graciously

"I hear that congratulations are also in order for you and Mr Malfoy," Harry said.

"Thank you," Narcissa said with a smile. "It seems as if we're all doing our part to help repopulate the wizarding world."

Kenneth Granger exchanged a meaningful glance with his wife at this; though they'd accepted their daughter's unusual relationship with the erstwhile Death Eater, the evidence that Lucius was still actively intimate with his pureblood wife still made them uncomfortable, despite Hermione's assurances.

A short time later, Calandra Jones re-entered the room. Harry immediately went over to her and motioned for her to follow him into the hall. "How is Ginny?" he asked urgently once they were alone. "Is she anywhere closer to delivery."

"I'm afraid not," the midwife said with a frown. "She just doesn't seem to be able to relax enough to allow nature to take its course. I'll let her go on for another day or so, if it comes to that, but if she doesn't give birth by then, I'll have to give her some potions to speed the process along."

"Why can't you do it now?" Harry demanded. "It would save her a lot of needless suffering."

"It's always preferable to allow birth to happen naturally on its own timetable," she explained. "Any sort of magical interventions carry the slight risk of disturbing the baby's magical core at a very vulnerable time. Such interventions, especially if not timed precisely right, can turn the baby into a squib."

"The hell with the baby's magic," Harry exploded. "I'd rather have a live squib child than a dead magical baby!"

"Which is why I'll do the intervention if Ginny's health or that of the baby is in danger," she told him. "But Ginny is merely uncomfortable right now; neither she nor the baby is currently in any danger. There's no need to worry right now."

"All right, he said uncertainly, as he followed the midwife back into Hermione's room. Excusing himself to Hermione and the rest of the family, he hurried back to his wife's room.

After Harry left the room, the midwife said, "I'm sorry for the delay, but Mr Potter had a few questions about his wife's condition." Smiling down at Hermione, she said, "Let's have another look, shall we?" Turning to the rest of the group, she said, "Why don't you all have a snack in the other room. I shouldn't be more than a few minutes.

Ten minutes later, Calandra Jones smiled down at Hermione. "I have good news for you," she said. "You've nearly dilated completely. I believe you're about ready for delivery. I'll go now and alert the delivery room staff while the healer's aide gets you ready." Before she left, she stopped briefly in the waiting room to relay the news to Lucius and the others.

As Lucius quickly returned to her side, she held out her arms for him, murmuring, "It's time, Lucius. We're about to become parents!"

"And I'll be by your side throughout the entire process," Lucius promised her.

Hermione's parents embraced, excited by the fact that in a very short while they would be grandparents.

The healer's aide, entered the room, carrying a healer's robe and a surgical mask. "Mr Malfoy," she said. "You'll need to put these on to enter the delivery room. Don't put the mask on until just before we go in there."

"Thank you," Lucius acknowledged. He removed his own robes to reveal a dove-grey shirt tucked into black trousers. After handing his robe to Narcissa for safekeeping, he donned the light green healer's robe, which had a shapeless fit compared to his own meticulously tailored robes. He slipped the mask around his neck, allowing it to dangle until he was ready to use it. As a final touch, he pulled a thin black cord out of his pocket and tied back his hair so it wouldn't be in the way in the delivery room.

A short while later, Hermione was transferred to the delivery suite, where Calandra Jones waited with her assistants.

After Hermione was placed on the delivery table, she murmured to Lucius, "Please stay up here with me hold my hand. I'll need you strength to get me through this. Hermione winced openly now, as the pain was getting to the point where the relaxation techniques were beginning to fail.

"Just a little longer, now Hermione," Calandra Jones encouraged her. "You're doing fine."

Finally, forty-five minutes later, after repeated bouts of pushing and Hermione squeezing Lucius' hand hard, the newest Malfoy made her entrance into the world, her lusty cries echoing in the small delivery room.

After quickly waving her wand to clean and diaper the baby, Calandra Jones presented her to her eagerly waiting parents, noting the time: 4:52 pm on September 2, 1999. At the same moment, the name "Lucia Jane Malfoy" magically appeared in the book that would notify those who would begin Hogwarts in September, 2010.

"Oh, she's so beautiful, Lucius," Hermione murmured as the midwife placed the newborn into her waiting arms. "She has your eyes."

Indeed, though the baby was bald with only the barest wisps of vaguely blondish hair, her eyes were the ice blue mirror image of her father's eyes.

Lucius bent and gave Hermione a tender kiss, remembering to first pull down his mask. "I love you, Hermione," she said in a husky voice. Putting a gentle finger on the baby's face in wonder, "And you, Lucia Jane Malfoy, are the most beautiful baby I've ever seen."

One year ago, Hermione Granger was deep in a depression, not knowing what direction to take with her life. Now, as the three of them bonded as a family, she knew her future would be a bright one, as long as she had Lucius and their daughter by her side.

---  
A/N Much appreciation to my readers and reviewers who helped me stick with writing this novel-length story for a year. I don't think I could have done it without you!  
A/N I gave Lucia September 2nd as a birthdate, as this was my grandmother's birthday  
A/N New blog entry: Introducing Lucia Jane Malfoy. My blog can be accessed through my profile.  
A/N Next chapter as yet untitled.


	73. Another Birth

A short time later, once Hermione was settled back in her room, Lucius went to the waiting room to escort Narcissa and the Grangers in to see Lucia. He was surprised and gratified to find Draco and Luna also waiting.

Still clad in the now-rumpled, shapeless surgical gown, now _sans_ mask, Lucius appeared the doorway with a huge grin on his face, looking like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Lucia is here," he murmured. "Why don't you all come in and meet her?"

The group filed in behind him in eager anticipation, with the proud grandparents in the lead.

They found Hermione propped up in bed, still holding her new daughter as the healer's aide was assisting her in beginning to try to nurse. She smiled up as her mother rushed over to meet her new granddaughter, with her father a close second.

"Oh, my, she's beautiful, Hermione!" Jane said, carefully examining every inch of Lucia. Turning to Lucius, she said, "She has your eyes, Lucius. There's no denying who this baby's father is." Kenneth nodded in agreement, looking on over his wife's shoulder.

"Indeed," Lucius agreed, a proud smile on his face.

"Lucia looks a great deal like Draco when he was first born," Narcissa observed. "She's even about the same size he was at birth."

"I suppose she'll do," Draco said gruffly, standing by his mother's side.

"It's nice to see what our baby is going to look like," Luna said dreamily.

After a few minutes of everyone ooh-ing and ahh-ing over Lucia, Lucius cleared his throat and said, "I'm afraid Hermione needs her rest now, as well as Lucia." After a pause, he added, "But feel free to visit later, as Hermione will likely be here for a couple of days."

"Well, I need to go to the penthouse and get the nursery ready for Lucia's homecoming," Jane said. "And I could use a nap myself."

Both Narcissa and Luna nodded in agreement at the idea of a nap, as both pregnant women found themselves taking naps more often these days.

"Owl me if you need anything, dear," Jane said, as she gave Hermione a kiss in parting."

"I will, Mum," she said wearily. Looking around at the group, she said, "Thank you all for coming."

After the group had filed out, Lucius kissed Hermione then said, "I'll go for awhile, too, and let you get some rest, as I could use a shower right now. But I won't be gone long, I promise."

"Take all the time you need," Hermione told him. "I think I'm just going to sleep for hours, as I'm so knackered. You might want to get a nap in yourself."

"I'll have them set up a bed in here for me, if I want to get some rest," he told her.

"Let me take the baby and put her down for a nap, too," the healer's aide told Hermione gently. "I'm going to take her to the nursery, so visitors can have a peek at her while you're both sleeping."

After leaving Hermione, Lucius quickly apparated back to the penthouse for a shower. As he entered the home, he found Jane bustling around in the nursery, making up the crib. A harassed looking Breezy was on her heels, telling the new grandmother that it was _her_ job to be readying the nursery.

"You might as well give it up, Breezy," Lucius observed from the doorway, one arm up against the doorframe. "There is nothing that gets between a grandmother and her grandchild. I would suggest you go to the kitchen and start dinner. Mrs Granger and I will be eating within 45 minutes."

"Oh, you startled me, Lucius," Jane said. "I didn't expect you back here so soon."

"Both Hermione and Lucia are napping, so I thought I'd come home for a shower and dinner," he told her. With a smile, he added, "And you do remind me of Narcissa's mother when Draco was first born. As I recall, she drove our house elves crazy wanting to take over all of Draco's care."

"I suppose grandmothers are the same, no matter where they're from," she observed, shyly returning his smile.

"No doubt," Lucius agreed laconically. Turning to leave the room, he said, "I'm going to go take a shower, so I'll meet you in the dining room in about a half hour or so. I'll be returning to the hospital after we eat."

Thirty minutes later, Lucius Malfoy sat down to dinner alone with his _de facto_ mother in law. He was impeccably attired in a new set of crisp summer weight robes, with his freshly washed hair silky and smooth.

"So, Kenneth didn't decide to join you here?" Lucius asked as Breezy was serving the meal.

"He had to go back home and see a few patients," she explained. "He'll be carrying the entire load for a few weeks, while I'm here helping Hermione." After a pause, she added, "But Draco promised to apparate him to the hospital and back tomorrow for a visit."

"I see," Lucius said, reminded yet again of why he was glad that he did not have to work to support himself.

"Will you be spending the night here?" Jane asked.

"No, I've arranged to have a bed set up at the hospital, so I can be nearby if Hermione needs me," he told her.

"I believe I'll stay here tonight and let you two have some private time together bonding with the baby," Jane said.

"I appreciate that," Lucius told her sincerely.

After a few more minutes of somewhat awkward conversation, Lucius left for the hospital. Though Jane and Lucius got along well, they'd not spent more than a few moments alone together before and Jane was still rather intimidated by her daughter's haughty mate.

----

"I'm going to have to call the surgical healer in," Calandra Jones told Harry early the next morning as they stood in the hallway outside Ginny's room. "We've tried the inducing potions and that didn't work and I don't dare give Ginny a second dose of them." Taking a deep breath, she said, "And my diagnostic wand is picking up signs of fetal distress."

"You mean, like a muggle Caesarian section?" Harry asked.

"Yes, exactly," Calandra confirmed. "Healer McGillicuddy, who is muggleborn, is also qualified as a muggle doctor."

"Ginny needs to give birth naturally," Molly cut in. The Weasley matriarch had followed Harry and the midwife out into the hall. "This muggle business of cutting a body open to get the baby is barbaric and unnatural. I simply won't have it."

Harry whirled on his meddling mother-in-law. This was the straw that broke the camel's back. "Stay the hell out of this, all right?" Harry exploded. "It's none of your bloody business and I don't give a flying fuck what you think about this or anything else, for that matter!"

"Well!" Molly huffed. "I never..."

"Maybe you _should_ some time," Harry countered, now nearly as puce-faced as Uncle Vernon. "It would likely do you a world of good!"

Turning back to the midwife, effectively dismissing Molly Weasley, Harry said, "Do it. And as soon as possible."

During the entire heated exchange, Harry hadn't noticed Lucius Malfoy standing in the doorway to Hermione's room, having witnessed the entire incident. The Malfoys still occupied the same room after Hermione had given birth, as the deluxe suite was designed for both labour and for after birth recovery. As he watched the drama unfold between Harry and the Weasley harridan, a wicked little smile appeared on his lips. "Bravo, Mr Potter," Lucius murmured to himself in satisfaction. "It's about bloody time you put that meddling harpy in her place."

Harry hadn't noticed Lucius, but Molly had. Incensed at the sight of the smirking blond wizard, she stormed over to him, intent on taking out her frustrations about Harry on him.

"What are _you_ looking at?" Molly demanded, hands on hips, glaring up at the haughty wizard.

"Temper, temper, Molly," Lucius mocked, wagging a finger at her. "Your attitude hasn't gotten you anywhere with Mr Potter, and you're sadly mistaken if you think it's going to get anywhere with me." Chuckling, he continued, "You really need to take a potion for that temper of yours, you know."

Molly reached up as if to slap Lucius, but he easily dodged her. "I wouldn't try that again," he growled at her. "I promise that you would seriously regret it."

"It's your fault," the angry witch hissed. "You monopolized the midwife's time with your precious Hermione so that she couldn't properly monitor Ginny's condition! Why else would she have given birth first!"

Before the witch could continue, Harry roared, "That's quite enough! I've about had enough of you!" Spotting Arthur, who had just come into the hallway to see what all the commotion was about, Harry said, "You need to get her out of here for awhile and calm her down. I don't know how much more I can take!"

Arthur, knowing how his wife could be and realizing how many hours Harry had been awake did not protest. Moving to stand by his wife, he murmured, "Come on, love. Let's get a cup of coffee and maybe some breakfast. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

___

James Sirius Potter was finally born by Caesarian section just before noon that day. To Harry's great relief, the baby was perfectly healthy, despite Ginny's difficult labour. Ginny, however, was totally wiped out and wanted nothing more than to get everyone out of the room and to go to sleep

Molly had insisted upon being present for the delivery, but to Harry's delight, the midwife and surgical healer had immediately nixed this idea because it was a surgical delivery. He was glad to be spared having to argue with his meddlesome mother-in-law yet again that day.

But later, after all the Weasleys had greeted the newest member of the family, Molly had tried to take over again, when the healer went to take James to the nursery so that Ginny could get the sleep that would aid in her recovery.

"You need to keep the baby with you," Molly insisted. "You won't bond properly unless the baby sleeps in the same bed with you and you feed him on demand."

"I'm really tired, Mum," Ginny said. "I need to get some rest so I can properly take care of him when I leave here."

The healer's aide, having dealt with the interfering Weasley matriarch throught Ginny's labor, looked to Harry for help.

"Take him to the nursery," Harry told the young woman firmly. "Mrs Weasley was _just leaving_ and we're all going to go get some rest now while Ginny is sleeping."

"We'll come back this evening, Molly," Arthur assured her. "The baby will be fine while we're gone."

Harry left after the Weasleys had gone and having seen James settled at the nursery. He apparated back to Grimmauld Place, where he fell asleep almost immediately after his head hit the pillow.

A/N: Coming close to a thousand reviews! Thanks to everyone who had taken the time to read and review.  
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	74. Harry and the Malfoys

Very early the next morning, Harry returned to St Mungo's. He went directly to the nursery to see James first before checking on Ginny. As he turned down the corridor where the nursery was, he was surprised to see Lucius Malfoy and Hermione already there, gazing through the window at the display of babies. Hermione leaned lightly on Lucius' arm for support.

"You're up early," Harry remarked as he joined the Malfoys at the window. "And I'm surprised to see you already up, Hermione."

"I could say the same, Mr Potter," Lucius responded dryly.

"Well, it's been two days," Hermione told him. "And the healer said it's important for me to get back on my feet as quickly as possible. I'd just finished feeding Lucia, and I decided I'd walk back to the nursery with her so I could get a bit of exercise." Gazing longingly through the window, "And we just can't take our eyes off her."

"She's a beautiful baby," Harry agreed. "I know you're both going to spoil her rotten."

"I know Lucius will," Hermione admitted, laughing. "But I'm going to try not to."

"Good luck on that," Harry chuckled, knowing that Lucia woujld be spoiled by both her parents.

Gesturing toward the nursery, Lucius remarked, "I see that your son finally arrived."

There was no mistaking the son of Harry Potter. Baby James Potter had been born with the messy, nearly black hair and green eyes of his father. Lucius considered the child lucky that he bore no outward indication of his Weasley ancestry.

"Yesterday," Harry confirmed. "Ginny ended up having to have a Caesarian section."

Lucius looked puzzled at the unfamiliar muggle term, so Hermione elaborated. "It's when a baby is taken from the womb by surgical intervention. It's fairly common in the muggle world."

The older wizard frowned at this notion. "I've never actually heard of anyone giving birth in this manner."

"It was a last resort," Harry told him. "The midwife said Ginny had gone on too long in labour and the potions she tried next didn't work, so had to call in a healer who'd also been trained in muggle medicine."

Looking back at the Potter baby, Lucius said, "I suppose that all's well that ends well. He seems perfectly content now."

"He seems to be a good baby so far," Harry said. "I'm just afraid that Molly will totally ruin him by spoiling him."

"You have to be firm with her, Mr Potter," Lucius told him. "You have to make it clear from the very beginning that _you _are the father and that it's not up to her to decide how your son will be raised."

"That will be easier said than done," Harry grumbled. "You know how she is. She won't ever take 'no' for an answer. And what's worse, Ginny usually sides with her mother!"

"If you don't put your foot down now, it will be this way from now on," the older wizard told him. "If you want any peace and sanity in your marriage, the sooner you do it, the better."

"That's just it," Harry admitted miserably. "I've been wondering if I made a mistake getting married to Ginny."

Both Malfoys exchanged startled glances. "Only you can decide that, Mr Potter," Lucius said. "That is also something you need to work out sooner rather than later, though not today, of course. But whatever you decide, you now have a son who should be your first consideration."

"We'll stand by you, whatever happens," Hermione put in.

"I can recommend an excellent lawyer, if it comes to that," Lucius assured him smoothly.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Harry said. "But for now, I'm hoping that everything will work out, once Ginny and I can settle down alone at Grimmauld Place with James."

The Malfoys again exchanged glances, knowing that the odds of Molly Weasley leaving the Potter couple alone to raise their child in peace were practically nil. Harry was being naive, but his awakening dissatisfaction indicated that such moments of innocent naivete would soon be a thing of the past.

Looking back through the window at James, who was in a bassinet right next to Lucia, Harry sighed, then said, "I hope by the time these two start off to Hogwarts that people will have gotten past the war and we'll truly be a united wizarding society."

"That would be ideal," Lucius agreed. "But I don't see that happening. Likely as not, a new controversy will arise to divide us into factions, even if the old rivalries no longer exist. And memories are long in the wizarding world, as well as the resultant grudges generated by them."

"But you never know," Hermione said. "Stranger things have happened."

"Mr Malfoy," a voice behind the group interrupted before Lucius or Harry could comment.

They all turned to see a nondescript young man in plain black robes with a wizarding camera slung around his neck.

"I'm Jonathan Biedenbender of the _Daily Prophet_ and I was wondering if I could take a few photos of all of you for an article Mr Terwilliger will be writing?" the young wizard asked.

"Ah, yes, Terwilliger had owled me for an interview," Lucius recalled. "I have no objections." Looking at Harry, he inquired, "Mr Potter?"

"What will the article be about?" Harry asked, hesitant.

"Oh, it's kind of a follow up on the consort relationship articles previously featured in the Prophet, plus an update on how the Wizarding Repopulation effort is going," Lucius explained. "I imagine Terwilliger would like photos of you and young Mr Potter as part of the second part of the article."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't harm anything," Harry decided.

"Mr Terwilliger also wanted me to mention that he'll be contacting you soon about an interview as well," Biedenbender supplied, backing up Lucius' words.

"I'll consent to the photos being published, as long as I approve of the captions," Harry told him. "But I would prefer not to be interviewed. I'm completely done with being "The Boy Who Lived to Save the Wizarding World". I want my son to have a normal childhood."

"Very good, Harry," Hermione murmured nearly to herself, as she felt Lucius squeeze her hand in agreement.

"I...uh...suppose that will have to do," the photographer replied. "I'll pass your message on to Mr Terwilliger."

"Yes, you do that," Harry responded, somewhat impatiently.

"I will make sure your wishes are respected," Lucius told Harry firmly. Turning to the photographer, he said, "Well? Shall we get on with it, then? Mrs Granger-Malfoy will need to rest soon, so let's get this over with."

"How about we take a few shots with both babies," Biedenbender began. "Is there a room where we can do this privately?"

"I know just the place," Lucius said. After he and Harry went to retrieve their babies from the nursery, Lucius led the group to the private waiting room attached to Hermione's suite.

They did not meet anyone in the corridor and once the group was ensconced in the waiting room, the photographer indicated a chair, then said, "I think I'll do a family shot first. Mrs Granger-Malfoy, if you'd sit in this chair holding the baby, with Mr Malfoy standing behind you."

After the Malfoys had taken their places, with Lucius' hands resting on Hermione's shoulders possessively, while she cradled Lucia, the photographer snapped the picture, quite pleased with the results.

"Now, Mr Potter, why don't you have a seat and I'll take a picture of you with your son," Biedenbender instructed. He frowned for a moment, then asked, "Where is Mrs Potter? We really should have her here so I can photograph you in the same way as I did with the Malfoys."

"Ginny is resting," Harry told the other wizard. "She had a difficult labor and isn't up to anything right now." This was true, but Harry also wanted to avoid Molly Weasley, as she'd no doubt be in Ginny's room if Harry went to get her for the photographer. He knew she'd insist on coming along, then would embarrass him once she saw the Malfoys were to be included.

"Oh, just one picture wouldn't hurt," the photographer wheedled. "It won't take but a minute."

"Mr Potter just told you that Mrs Potter is indisposed," Lucius said firmly. "I suggest you respect his wishes without question, if you intend to finish this photo shoot."

Knowing there was no further point in pursuing the matter, Biedenbender sighed, then said, "All right then, Mr Potter. We'll just take a picture of you holding your son."

After that photo was snapped, the photographer said, "Now, let's get a photo of both the men holding their babies. I think standing will be better for this shot."

Several more picture were shot after this: Hermione standing between Harry and Lucius holding the children, Lucius holding James Potter with Harry looking on, Hermione holding James with Harry looking on, Harry holding Lucia with Lucius looking on, Harry holding Lucia with Hermione looking on, Harry holding Lucia with both Lucius and Hermione looking on, and one of just the two babies together.

Finally, Jonathan Biedenbender said, "I think I have enough pictures to choose from. I thank all of your for your time."

"When will this article appear in the Prophet?" Harry asked.

"Probably in a couple of days," the photographer told him. "Not until Mr Terwilliger interviews the Malfoys."

"And that will be at the penthouse once Hermione and I bring the baby home," Lucius told Harry. After the photographer left, he added, "We're expecting that Hermione will be released today."

"That's great," Harry said. "I don't imagine Ginny will be able to go home for a few more days yet, considering how hard of a time she had." Checking the time, he said, "I'd better go. If I don't show up soon, Molly will send out a search party for me."

"I'll owl you in a few days, Harry," Hermione said. "I won't be doing much other than resting for about the next six weeks, so I'd love it if you could come to lunch one day."

"I'd like that," Harry said as he picked up James, who was beginning to fuss, and headed to the door. "I'll be in touch."

Several hours later, Calandra Jones examined both Hermione and Lucia and pronounced them both fit for release.

"Both you and Lucia are doing well and I see no reason to keep either of you here any longer," Calandra said at the conclusion of the examination. "But I'll expect to see you both in six weeks for a follow-up exam. And feel free to owl me if you have any concerns in the meantime."

"Thank you, I will," Hermione said, smiling broadly. "Thank you for all your help."

A short time later, Lucius, who was carrying Lucia, led Hermione down a narrow corridor of the hospital, which was used by maintenance personnel and usually not accessible to the public. This corridor led to an employee floo, where they could leave without being assaulted by the press.

They flooed home without incident where Hermione's mother and Breezy were eagerly waiting for them.

"Home at last," Hermione sighed, gazing at Lucius and their new daughter, totally content with her life.

--  
A/N One thousand reviews! Wow! I never thought I'd get this many. Thanks, everyone!  
A/N Next chapter yet to be named.


	75. At Home With Lucia

"You look tired, dear," Jane Granger told her daughter not long after Hermione, Lucius, and Lucia had arrived home. "Why don't you get a little nap before dinner? Breezy and I will be glad to take care of Lucia for you."

The small elf nodded vigorously to emphasize the muggle woman's offer.

"I don't know..." Hermione said hesitantly.

"That's an excellent idea, my dear," Lucius said smiling. "I believe I'll take a nap with you."

"I did just feed her before we left the hospital, so she should be good for an hour or two," Hermione said. "And the doctor taught me a spell for putting some of my own milk into a bottle using magic, so that Mum could feed her if she gets hungry."

"There, you see?" Lucius said smiling. "Lucia will be in quite capable hands with your Mum and Breezy to fuss over her."

"All right, then, you've convinced me." Hermione conceded. "Just let me change my clothes and make a bottle for Lucia just in case." Looking at Breezy, she added, "I'll call you when the bottle is ready." She then turned to her mother. "I'll see you a dinner, Mum."

"Have a nice nap," Jane Granger said. "Lucia and I will just spend some time getting better acquainted."

Lucius followed Hermione as she left to go change in the bedroom. As soon as the door had closed behind them, he waved his wand and said, "_Aufero Vestitus_!" Hermione's outer clothing disappeared, leaving her clad only in her bra and knickers. He waved his wand again, chanting another spell, and Hermione was now in comfortable night clothes.

Noting Hermione's look of surprise, he said smoothly, "I thought I'd make it easier for you."

"Thanks, love," she said, moving to gingerly sit on the side of the bed. Rambling through her bottomless purse, she pulled out the bottles the hospital had given her to use for supplemental feedings.

Taking her wand, she pointed it at her breasts, then muttered the spell Calandra Jones had taught her. Instantly, one bottle was filled with breast milk, which Hermione set on the night stand.

"Nothing to it!" she said, pleased with the results. "That was easy."

Lucius smiled at her, then said, "Breezy!"

Instantly the house elf apparated. "Master Lucius called Breezy?"

Pointing to the bottle that Hermione had set down, he said, "There is the extra bottle for Lucia."

Breezy retrieved the bottle, then looked up at the haughty blond wizard and asked, "Is there anything else Breezy can do for Master Lucius?"

"No, that's all," he told her. "We will be indisposed until dinner, so that will be all for now."

After Breezy had left, Lucius quickly stripped down to his boxers, then slipped into bed next to Hermione.

Leaning over to give her a kiss, he said, "Ah, that's better. I missed you here beside me."

Hermione laughed softly. "I was only gone for two days! And you were at the hospital with me for most of that time."

"I know," he murmured, drawing her close. "But you know what I mean."

"It's a shame we can't be intimate right now," Hermione sighed, snuggling up to Lucius. "I don't know if I can stand to wait six weeks to make love to you again."

"I'm happy just to hold the mother of my child at the moment," Lucius said. "We certainly made a beautiful little girl, I'm thinking."

"I've never seen a baby more beautiful," Hermione agreed happily. "But perhaps I'm a wee bit prejudiced?

"Just a little," Lucius chuckled. "But in this case, it just happens to be true."

"I love you so much," Hermione told him, feeling suddenly shy.

"I love you, too," Lucius replied quietly. "And I'll love you just a little more with each passing day."

Hermione yawned loudly at this point, so Lucius said, "Why don't you turn on your side? I'll rub your back until you fall asleep."

"That sounds heavenly," Hermione said lazily., as she assumed the proper position. "Mmm, that feels wonderful," she moaned a few seconds later, "You're hitting all the right spots."

"I aim to please," Lucius purred seductively.

Hermione sighed again in frustration that she could not let Lucius just go ahead and _really_ please her for the next six weeks. But within minutes, she'd dropped off to sleep.

After he was certain she was asleep, Lucius relaxed and fell asleep beside her and was soon snoring softly.

Shortly before lunch the next day, as Hermione changed Lucia, over Breezy's protests, she reminded Lucius, "My father will be coming for lunch today to spend a little time with Lucia. He's in London for other business, so we'll not need to have him apparated here."

"You do know that Norbert Terwilliger will be coming by directly after lunch for the interview I mentioned," he told her. After a moment, he added, "But that should work out well, as I'd imagine he might want words with the happy grandparents as well."

Hermione was finished at this point, so Lucius held out his hands for Lucia and said, "There's my clean and tidy little girl. Come to Daddy." After he picked his daughter up, he held her close, crooning, "Who's a sweet baby? Daddy's little girl is such a sweet baby."

Hermione held back a giggle to hear Lucius speaking in such an undignified, un-Malfoylike fashion. And she loved him just a little bit more when she heard it.

"Oh, you're such an old softy, Lucius," Hermione told him. "And I love you for it."

"Who are you calling old, my dear," he retorted, smiling down at her. "I just happen to be in the prime of my life."

"I know," she said, laughing, "You've proven that to me many times over. I was just teasing you a bit."

They were both still chuckling a moment later when the door chimes sounded. As they left the nursery, they met Jane coming from the entryway, followed by her husband, who'd just arrived.

"There she is!" Kenneth called out as he spotted his new granddaughter, still in Lucius' arms. Lucia, still awake from having her nappy changed, began to whimper softly from all the commotion.

"Would you like to hold her?" Lucius asked Kenneth. "She's just been changed, so I assure you that she's perfectly clean."

"Need you ask?" the muggle responded, reaching out for Lucia. "And it would have been fine if she'd been dirty. I changed more of Hermione's nappies than I care to count."

The group headed to the library to visit with Lucia, while they waited for Breezy to get lunch ready. Kenneth seated himself in a rocking chair that had been recently placed in the library, meant expressly for holding and soothing the newest addition to the Malfoy family. Lucius stood protectively nearby, while Hermione and her mother sat on the couch opposite him.

Kenneth didn't say much, but merely gazed down with loving eyes at the granddaughter he'd never expected to have so soon, memorizing every one of her tiny features. A tear came unbidden to his eyes, as he thought of how much he'd worried about Hermione since she'd entered the wizarding world and had been in harm's way so many times in the course of fighting Voldemort. That she'd end up partnered with one of Voldemort's right hand men, let alone bearing him a child, would have never entered his wildest imagination only two years ago. Yet, now as he gazed down at the beautiful baby in his arms, he'd not have had it any other way. He'd always believed that things happened for a reason and he saw no reason to think differently now.

"I simply must take a picture," Jane said, watching her husband with the baby. "We need a few taken with a regular camera to show the family." She rose from her seat and bustled out of the room to get her camera.

A moment later, she returned and took several photos of her husband with their granddaughter. Turning to Lucius, she asked, "Could you take a few of us two together with Lucia?"

"I'm afraid I've never used a muggle camera," Lucius demurred, though not unwilling to fulfill her request.

"It's easy," Jane insisted. "It's just a throwaway camera; it's practically idiot-proof." Moving closer to the handsome blond wizard, she indicated the proper button and said, "Just look through the little window when you point it at us and when you're satisfied with what you see, just press that red button there. That's all there is to it!"

"All right," Lucius said slowly. "How hard could it be?"

"I can do it if you like," Hermione offered.

"I can manage, I'm sure," Lucius told her, not wishing to be defeated by anything of muggle origin. Turning to Hermione's parents he added, "Why don't you both sit on the couch with Hermione and I'll get a shot of the three of you together with Lucia."

Lucius managed the camera with little difficulty and took a few pictures of the Grangers, both with and without Hermione.

"I think that will do," he said, handing the camera back to Jane after he'd taken the pictures.

"Oh, we need some of you and Hermione to show the family," Jane decided. "Hermione's grandmother asks about you all the time." Gesturing to the couch she'd just vacated, she said, "Sit here with Hermione and Lucia and I'll get a few pictures." Looking critically at Lucius' robe, she said, "You'd better take off that robe, so the family doesn't question me about how you're dressed."

Lucius obligingly removed his lightweight indoor robe to reveal a white dress shirt and expensive black wool trousers underneath. Though both items of clothing were of wizarding make and cut, they were close enough to their muggle counterparts so they'd not evoke any unwanted questions from family members.

Jane took a few pictures, then said, "Well, that's the end of the roll; I can't take any more pictures for now." Turning to her husband, she said, "Take the camera with you when you go, so you can get the pictures developed right away!"

"Yes, dear," he said, chuckling. "Your wish is my command."

After Kenneth took the camera from his wife, Breezy entered the room to let everyone know that lunch was served. As the group left for the dining room, Lucius paused to have a word with the small elf. "After you've served dinner, please take Lucia and get her settled for a nap. Stay with her until we're finished."

"Yes, Master Lucius," Breezy said, clearly delighted for a chance to spend time taking care of the little girl.

---  
A/N Well over a thousand reviews now! I really appreciate everyone who has stuck with my story for an entire year. As of Wednesday, I will have a complete year of posting chapters.  
A/N Next chapter yet to be named.


	76. Fractious Family

"Come on, Ginny dear," Molly Weasley said. "It's time for you to try to feed James again."

"I'm really too tired for that, Mum" Ginny said, yawning to emphasize her point. "Can't you or Harry give him a bottle instead? I need to get some rest." She turned on her side to face the bedroom wall, presenting her back to her mother.

"You've been home for three days now and you've not completed a single feeding," Molly pointed out. "You need to try harder to nurse so that your milk will come in properly."

"It's all right," Harry said, looking in from the doorway. "I'll be glad to feed him."

"Well!" Molly sniffed. "That's all well and good for you to help out now and then. But it's Ginny's job to feed him, as it's important for him to bond with his Mum and nursing is the best way to do it."

"Who am I?" Harry shot back. "A next door neighbor? James needs to bond with his father, too!"

Ginny turned back to face her family. "Please! Stop arguing." Taking a deep breath, she declared, "I don't think I want to breastfeed at all!"

"You can't mean that!" Molly was aghast. "Nature intended for mothers to feed their babies with their own milk."

"Harry and I discussed this when I was pregnant," Ginny said. "He wants to share in caring for James, not just help out now and then. And I don't want to have to always be the one who has to get up in the middle of the night when James is hungry. If I bottle feed, I can share the feedings with Harry and Kreacher."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Molly said. "That sounds like something a _muggle _woman would do."

Harry looked at his mother in law in surprise after hearing her last sentence. The Weasleys made a big show out of their tolerance of muggles, but every now and then, condescending comments came from Molly that were worthy of the most rabid pureblood supremacist.

"I don't want to talk about this right now," Ginny said wearily. "I just want to get some sleep."

Taking James from Molly, Harry said resolutely, "I'll feed him. Let's go downstairs and leave Ginny alone for awhile."

Molly did not argue further, but followed him out of the room, tsk-tsking under her breath.

Ginny sighed in relief as the door shut behind Harry and her mum. She thought they'd never leave! Waiting until she heard them descending the stairs, she pulled out a magazine from under the bed.

It was the latest issue of _Quidditch Monthly_, which had arrived by owl-post the day she went into labor. She'd not had a chance to read it yet, so she settled in comfortably to enjoy the magazine in peace.

She idly browsed the articles, which dealt mainly in predictions for the coming season. She laughed softly to herself, knowing that Divination was particularly useless when it came to Quidditch, where anything could, and usually did, happen.

The young witch was about to put the magazine down and take a nap for real, when she noticed an ad on the magazine's last page:

**Holyhead Harpies**

**Now Recruiting **

**for**

**All Positions**

**for the new**

**Reserve Team**

**Please owl Team Manager Miranda Demianenko for further details**

She stared at the ad for a long time, as visions of her long-time dream danced through her imagination. Since those long ago pickup quidditch games with her brothers out behind the Burrow from the time she was able to first sit a broom, Ginny had fantasized about playing for the Harpies.

After a long moment, she got out of bed as quickly as she could in her condition. She rooted through the desk for a spare piece of parchment and a quill, then hurriedly scribbled an inquiry note to the team manager, placing it inside the magazine when she was done. Ginny did not dare call for Kreacher to send it off for her, as she knew the decrepit old elf couldn't keep a secret and would immediately tell Harry about it. She'd have to wait until she had a spare moment alone to take it to the owlery herself.

Sighing yet again, this time in anticipation, she extinguished the light, then rolled over for a long overdue nap.

--

"Harry, I don't think it's helpful when you contradict me in front of Ginny when I'm teaching her how to be a Mum," Molly said as Harry fed James a bottle. "Ginny's always been headstrong, so it's important we present a united front to her. I really don't think you need to undermine my authority."

Turning to Arthur, who was drinking a cup of tea, Harry quietly asked, "Could you take James for a few minutes, please?"

"Certainly, Harry," the older wizard said. "Come along, then, James, and visit with Grandpa for awhile."

Once Arthur had taken the baby to the lounge, Harry returned his attention to Molly.

"Let's get one thing straight here. While Ginny and I both appreciate your help with James, any final decisions about James' care will be made by me or Ginny," he told her, his voice barely under control. "The authority is ours."

"But that's simply ridiculous," Molly tutted. "Neither of you know a thing about caring for babies, while I've raised seven children! I know the right way to raise children."

"That's true, and I'm sure we'll be asking your advice about all sorts of things while James is growing up," he admitted. "But there's a difference between asking for advice and being told what to do. And there's more than one right way of doing things."

"I'll not stand by and let James come to any harm," she doggedly insisted. "What kind of a grandmother would I be if I just stood by and let you make mistakes that I could easily prevent?"

"I'm sure we will make mistakes," Harry responded wearily. "But most mistakes aren't fatal." After a long pause, he added, "I had to take care of myself most of the time when I was living at the Dursleys, so I think I'll be able to manage with James. I've never had the opportunity to be wild and irresponsible."

"I'll be watching you," Molly warned. "And I'll not hesitate to step in if I think it's in James' best interests. I'm sure you'll change your mind once you see that taking care of children isn't as easy as you thought it would be."

Before Harry could reply, Arthur returned to the kitchen. "I think think little fellow needs his nappy changed," he announced, holding the infant out to his wife. Noting the expressions on Molly's and Harry's faces, he asked, "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Harry replied tersely. "I'm going to go check on Ginny." He hurriedly left the kitchen before he said something he'd later regret.

--

Ginny had given up on trying to get a nap. Perhaps it was the excitement of fantasizing about becoming part of the Holyhead Harpies, but she'd simply not been able to fall asleep.

The young witch finally gave in to the inevitable. She sat up, quietly whispering_ Lumos_, then pulled the Quidditch magazine from under the bed to through it again. As she returned to the Harpies ad, she heard her mother's and Harry's voices raised in heated discussion coming through the ventilation shaft.

Frowning at overhearing yet another squabble between the two, she wondered why Harry didn't just let her mother take care of the baby. It was obvious her Mum wanted to do it, and if she did so, it would leave her and Harry more time to do things they enjoyed. And it wasn't as if leaving James with Mum would be anything like leaving him with those awful Dursleys.

Refocusing her attention to the magazine, Ginny suddenly realized it was the perfect time to sneak to the owlery and send off the note. She eased out of bed, then stuffed her feet into her slippers before quietly making her way to the door.

The sounds of arguing were louder as she stepped into the hallway. Ginny looked over the railing at the foot of the stairs to see if anyone was lurking about before moving to the other stairway that led to the roof. Confident that they'd be busy for awhile, Ginny slowly made her way up to the owlery.

She stopped to rest for a few minutes, once she'd given the letter to Pigwidgeon. The short trip up the stairs had worn her out and Ginny knew she'd have to train hard, once she'd recovered from giving birth, if she wanted a chance at making the reserve team.

After a few moments, she returned to her bedroom, where she was dismayed to find Harry sitting on the bed waiting for her.

"What's this all about?" Harry asked quietly, holding up the Quidditch magazine, point to the ad which Ginny had circled. She'd been so intent on getting to the owlery, that she'd left the magazine lying on the bed, opened to the page with the ad. "And where have you been? I thought you were taking a nap."

"I, uh, couldn't sleep," Ginny said. Taking a deep breath, she said, "And I've decided to apply to the Harpies. An opportunity like that doesn't come along very often."

"What about James?" Harry demanded. "Have you forgotten about him?"

"Mum has already said she wants to take care of him," Ginny said. "I don't see why you're so against it."

"I'm not against her taking care of him now and then," Harry told her. "But we're his parents and it's not fair to her and your father to take care of him all the time."

"But she wants to," Ginny insisted. "We're not taking advantage of her, trust me."

"What about when we have other children?" Harry asked her. "What do you plan to do then?"

"I don't want to have any more children," she admitted. "I don't ever want to go through pregnancy, labor, and delivery again. One child is enough, anyway."

"I thought you wanted to have at least 3 or 4 kids, like I do," Harry said slowly. "I thought we were agreed on that." After a pause, he added, "And considering how many people we lost in the war, I don't think having just one child is enough."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but my mind is made up," she said. "Even if I don't make the Harpies, I don't want any more kids." Looking him in the eye, she added, "And if you think my Mum isn't good enough to take care of James, why don't you quit your job and take care of him yourself!"

"Actually, I've been considering doing just that," Harry told her. "I don't really like being an Auror all that much and I'd much rather spend time with James. Lucius has told me that the Potter fortune, with wise investments, is more than enough to support us without me having to work."

"You went to Lucius Malfoy, of all people, for advice?" she exploded. "You reject Mum's advice, yet you believe whatever _he_ says without question!"

"Well, when it comes to money and investments, you must admit he knows what he's talking about," Harry retorted.

"I don't want to talk anymore!" Ginny said. "I'm hungry, so I'm going to see if Mum has started dinner yet."

"We'll talk about it again later," Harry warned as he followed her down the stairs.

The couple arrived in the kitchen just in time to hear Molly explode again. "I can't believe what I'm reading!" Seeing Harry in the doorway, she angrily shook a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ at him.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Harry" she exclaimed angrily.

--  
A/N: Thanks again to my loyal readers!  
A/N: Yes, I know, I put one of Gred and Forge's expressions into Harry's mouth. But hanging around Weasleys for so many years, he's bound to pick up some things from them!  
A/N: The surname of the Harpies' Team Manager, Demianenko, is that of my former high school gym teacher, whom we called "Miss D".  
A/N: Next chapter, as yet unnamed.


	77. Confrontation and Consolation

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, confused. He had no idea what Molly Weasley was banging on about.

"Surely you didn't think you could keep this from me!" she said, thrusting the _Daily Prophet_ under his nose. "I just want to know _why_ there are photos of you and my grandson with _Lucius Malfoy_ in the _Daily Prophet_!"

Ginny moved closer to get a look at the newspaper. "That's a very good question, Harry," she said slowly. "Mum has a point. And what I'd really like to know is why you didn't bother to tell us about it and why you didn't see fit to include me in the pictures. These pictures make you look like a single father."

Taking the paper from Molly, he quickly looked at the photos, pleased with the results. Looking at the photos of Hermione with Lucius and Lucia, he could see the love in both their eyes as they glanced at one another and their daughter. He smiled to himself as it dawned on him fully just how right Lucius had been for Hermione.

"Well?" Molly demanded, drumming her fingers on the table. "I'm waiting to hear your explanation!"

Harry turned slowly to face his mother in law, exhaling a gusty sigh. "Do you want to know the truth?" he asked. Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "This was a spur of the moment thing and the photographer did ask for Ginny, but I knew the both of you would react this way and embarrass me. I'm sick and tired of your attitude toward Lucius Malfoy. You don't have to like the man, but you don't have to make a scene every time you meet him in public. He already knows you don't like him and he doesn't care what you think of him." Taking a deep breath, he plunged on, "And it's not as if I planned this. I was at the nursery talking with Lucius and Hermione when this photographer showed up to see the Malfoys and decided to include me as well."

Facing Ginny, he added in a softer voice, "And you were still knackered after giving birth, so I didn't think you needed to be bothered by someone shoving a camera in your face just then."

"You should have told the photographer to come back when Ginny was rested so he could get pictures of _all_ the family," Molly told him firmly. "And I'm tired of you associating with the likes of Lucius Malfoy. I've known him a lot longer than you have and can assure you that he hasn't changed in the slightest. He's just using you to make himself look better." Glaring at Harry, she added, "And I don't think you should be exposing my grandson to him and his lot."

"Mum's right, Harry," Ginny said, unsurprisingly. "I don't think James needs to be around people like Malfoy."

"I'm not going to give up my friendship with Hermione because of Lucius Malfoy," Harry told them firmly. "You might as well get that out of your heads right now. Malfoy is good to her and that's all that matters to me." Harry thought it best not to mention his growing acquaintance with Draco Malfoy; that was a topic best kept to himself or left for another time.

Snatching up the paper, he headed to the door. He'd had enough of the Weasley women and needed to leave before he said something he'd not be able to take back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Molly demanded, hands on hips.

"Out," Harry replied tersely. "I need a break from all of this."

"You come back here, Harry Potter," Molly stormed. "Ginny needs you."

His only response was to fling open the front door and apparate quickly away.

Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron a moment later, still scowling, with the newspaper tucked under his arm. After ordering a butterbeer, he took a booth in a dimly-lit corner in the back. He took a long swallow from the bottle, then settled in to read the paper in peace while he cooled off.

As he read the the article accompanying the photos, _Repopulation Efforts Going Well_, Harry couldn't see what was so controversial about it. He'd read a series of articles over the last several months about Lucius and Hermione, which the _Prophet _considered newsworthy considering they were the first couple to respond to the consort law and because their particular relationship was symbolic of a newly united wizarding society. This article was simply more of the same.

His inclusion in the article, though not planned, still served to underscore the article's main point. The young wizard realized that nothing was going to change his mother in law's blind spot when it came to Lucius Malfoy. The war would never be over for her and Harry suddenly felt quite sorry for her. He also realized that Ginny was just like her mother in this regard; stuck in the past.

"Mr Potter?"

Harry looked up to see Lucius Malfoy standing by his table, one eyebrow raised in inquiry. He'd been so deep in thought that he'd not noticed the imperious blond wizard approaching his table.

"Mr Malfoy," Harry acknowledged.

Having noticed what Harry was reading, Lucius said, "I think the article turned out rather well if I say so myself. Motherhood has only served to make Hermione more beautiful."

"I agree," Harry said. "I don't think she could possibly look happier than she does here."

"Speaking of Hermione, why don't you go up and pay her a visit?" the older wizard suggested. "I'm on my way to Hogwarts to see Draco, so I'm sure she'd appreciate the company.

"Thanks, I think I will," Harry said. He brightened immediately at the thought of visiting his friend. "Are you sure she's up to it?"

"Quite sure," Lucius assured him. "In fact, I would say she's beginning to get a bit restless from idleness."

A short time later, Hermione's mother opened the door when he rung the bell at the penthouse."

"Harry!" Jane Granger exclaimed warmly. "What a nice surprise! Hermione was just talking about you and here you are!" Opening the door wider, she invited him inside. "Hermione's in the nursery with Lucia, getting ready to put her down for a nap. I'm going to go to the kitchen for a bit of tea, so why don't you wait for her in the library. I'll send Breezy in with some refreshments."

Five minutes later, Hermione came into the library. "Harry! Mum told me you were here."

"I was in the Leaky Cauldron and ran into Lucius and he told me to come on up," Harry explained.

Seating herself across from Harry, she said, "Did you bring James with you? I'd love to see him."

"No, no, I didn't," he said, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "I'd not really planned to do any visiting today. I kind of left the house in a hurry."

"What's wrong, Harry?" she asked, concerned. "You seem as if you have something on your mind."

He paused for a long moment, then said slowly, "It's Ginny. And her mother. I don't know I can take this much longer. I thought I'd be happy if I married Ginny, but it's not turned out like that at all. Mostly, I've been miserable."

"Tell me about it, Harry," Hermione said, putting a caring hand on his arm. "I imagine you need someone to talk this out with."

"At first, most of our problems were because of Molly," he began. "She still treats both of us like children and meddles constantly into our lives." Taking a drink of the pumpkin juice Breezy had brought, he continued, "I could mostly deal with that, knowing that Ginny and I could always move if it got bad enough."

"Go on," Hermione said, knowing he wasn't finished yet.

"Ginny is pretty much just like her mother, but I figured she'd grow out of that as time went by and she got more involved raising her own family," he said. "But she and I had an argument that's made me realize that I really don't know her at all."

Rising from his seat, he went to stand by the window looking out. "Today she told me that she doesn't want to have any more children, ever," he announced. "Not only that, she's applied to try out for the Holyhead Harpies. She plans to leave James with her mother and let her raise him."

Turning back to catch the stunned expression on Hermione's face, he said, "I'll be damned if that's going to happen. I won't allow my son to be raised by that small minded woman."

"What do you plan to do, Harry?" Hermione asked. "You know that Lucius and I will be here to help if you need it."

Giving her a small smile, he said, "I appreciate that, more than you can know." Taking a deep breath, he said, "I think I'm going to give up on being an Auror. It's not as interesting as I thought it would be and now that the war is over, there isn't so much for us to do. And it's not as if I need to work because I need the money. I've done my bit to save the wizarding world and James needs me more now."

"Are you going to divorce Ginny?" she asked. "It might be best to make the break now, as it would be easier on James that way."

"I don't know," Harry said. "I know the Weasleys would fight me for custody if I did, and I'm not so sure I'd win."

"You remember that Lucius offered you the use of his lawyers," Hermione reminded him. "I'm quite sure they'd be able to get a favorable outcome for you."

"I'll think about it," Harry said. "I'm not quite ready to make a decision yet." Sighing, he said, "I know one thing. I don't feel like going back and facing them right now. Molly is probably waiting by the front door to pounce on me the minute I get home. I think I'll just rent a room at the Leaky Cauldron for tonight."

"Nonsense," Hermione said. "You can stay here as long as you like, whenever you need to."

"I appreciate that," Harry told her. "I'll stay tonight, but I think I'll find a flat nearby to rent tomorrow so I can have a place to go when I need to get away from them."

"You look tired," Hermione observed. "Why don't you get a nap for now, and I'll have Breezy call you when dinner is ready."

"Thanks," Harry said. "I"d like that. I've not been sleeping at all well lately."

A short time later, Harry fell asleep moments after his head hit the pillow.

--  
A/N Much appreciation to my readers, both reviewers and lurkers  
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	78. A Matter of Timing

Lucius found Hermione sitting placidly in the library rocking chair with Lucia as he stepped through the floo from Hogwarts.

Hermione smiled up at him as he brushed the soot off his expensive robes. Holding Lucia up to face him, she burbled to her newborn daughter, "Look who's home, Lucia! It's your Daddy!"

The blond wizard couldn't help but grin stupidly at the sight of his baby girl. Leaning over, he kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Let me have her for awhile," he murmured.

"Why don't you take the rocking chair," Hermione said, moving to sit in another chair once Lucius had taken Lucia from her.

After Lucius settled himself into the rocking chair, neither he nor Hermione spoke for a long moment, as they both basked in the presence of their first born child.

"I think she's finally asleep," Lucius whispered to Hermione after several minutes of rocking and humming softly to Lucia. Rising gingerly from the chair, so as not to awaken her, he moved soundlessly to the nursery, with Hermione close behind him.

Lucius stood gazing down at his sleeping daughter after setting her down to nap, in no hurry to leave the room. Hermione sidled up next to him, taking his hand.

Leaning down to murmur in her ear, Lucius told her, "I want to memorize her every feature, just as she is now. She is going to change so quickly, almost as fast as the blink of an eye. It seems that not too long ago Draco was this size, looking just about like Lucia does now."

"Before we know it, we'll be taking her to the train for her first year at Hogwarts," Hermione said, laughing quietly.

"Don't laugh," Lucius said as they left the room, closing the door behind them. "That day will arrive sooner than you'd imagine."

"Lucia isn't even a month old yet and here we are already shipping her off to Hogwarts!" Hermione said, giving Lucius a wide smile.

"I'm already imagining her as Minister of Magic when I'm an old man," Lucius admitted as they returned to the library. "But that's only after you become Minister of Magic yourself."

"Oh, you know I don't want to be Minister of Magic," Hermione said in mock indignation. "Actually, I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about my idea to overhaul the Muggle Studies curriculum. I think I'd like to get started writing the first textbook. Ideally, I'd like to have all seven written by the time Lucia starts Hogwarts."

"Do you think you're up to getting started?" Lucius asked. "I didn't bring it up again, as I wasn't sure you were ready to begin." After a pause, he said, "And I need to work on my plan for the wizarding world orientation program for muggle-raised Hogwarts students and their families. Horace has been getting after me to draw up a workable program. Not only that, Kingsley Shacklebolt is still most interested in my ideas to establish a network of wizarding primary schools, especially for muggle-raised magical children. I thought it would be a good idea if we worked together on both revamping the Muggle Studies program and devising the muggle-raised orientation program, as the two concerns fit together like opposite sides of the same coin."

"I agree," Hermione said. "In my own experience, I think I could have been saved loads of grief if I'd been better prepared for the wizarding world and also if those raised entirely in the wizarding world had had some understanding of the muggle world. And I'm quite sure Harry would agree with me."

"Speaking of Harry, did he come to visit you?" Lucius asked. "I saw him down in the Leaky Cauldron when I was leaving to go see Draco. He looked like he had something on his mind, so I suggested that he pay you a visit."

"Yes, he came by," Hermione said. "In fact, he's still here; he's in one of the guest rooms taking a nap. I invited him to spend the night."

Lucius quirked one eyebrow up in mock surprise. "What?" he said. "Is there trouble in paradise already?"

"Don't joke about it, Lucius," Hermione admonished him. "He's having a really rough time of it. He's napping now because he's been losing sleep over it."

"Oh?" Lucius asked, entirely unsurprised.

"I'll let him tell you the details at dinner," she said. "He wants to ask your advice on a few things."

A short while later, when they were all seated around the dinner table, Harry turned to Lucius and said, in an apologetic tone, "I hope you don't mind me staying the night."

"Quite all right, Mr Potter," Lucius said smoothly. "Hermione tells me you've been having some marital difficulties."

"Well, as I'm sure you already know, Molly Weasley has been a problem from the very beginning," Harry began.

At hearing this, Lucius tried to discreetly disguise a smirking laugh inside of a cough, but didn't quite succeed.

Harry proceeded, as if he'd not heard Lucius. "I could have dealt with that, if I'd known Ginny was squarely on my side. After all, we could have always moved away if we couldn't stand her interference any longer."

"Go on," Lucius encouraged. He did not add his opinion that they'd likely have had to move to Mars in order to keep Molly Weasley from meddling into their marriage.

"But I found out today that it's much worse than that," Harry continued. "Ginny told me that she didn't want any more children and that she'd applied to join the Holyhead Harpies. What's even worse is that she intends to leave James with Molly and let her raise him!" Narrowing his eyes, he added, "I won't have that! I'll not have that woman raising my son!"

"What do you plan to do?" Lucius asked.

"I've decided to quit the Aurors in order to take care of James full time," Harry told him. "I really didn't like being an Auror much, anyway, and James needs me so much more. And I want to look into starting divorce proceedings as soon as possible. I'm going to go tomorrow and look for a flat to rent to use during the separation period."

"I'd strongly advise you to hold off on filing for divorce just yet," Lucius said. "Timing is of the utmost importance in such matters." Pausing to take a sip of his drink, he continued, "While I fully understand and share your sentiments in this matter, you cannot rush headlong like a Gryffindor into divorce. Rather, you must think like a Slytherin and consider the timing of your moves carefully."

Giving Harry a calculating gaze, he asked, "First of all, why do you think Molly Weasley was so keen on having you marry her daughter and why do you think she's so intent on controlling your marriage now?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I figure she tries to control us because that's just the way she is; she tries to control everyone. But Ginny and I fell in love on our own, at school."

"While I don't think she went so far as to use a love potion on you, from what Hermione has told me, I believe that she did all that she could to encourage the relationship and to create conditions favorable to its growth," Lucius told him. "Think about it for a moment."

"Don't you remember the summers we spent at the Burrow where she'd always send you and Ginny off on errands alone together?" Hermione put in. "And when you weren't around, she used to always talk about how wonderful you were to Ginny. And that's only what she said when I was present. Who knows how much more blunt she was about it when no one else was around?"

Harry remained silent as he considered the implications of their words.

Lucius did not wait for Harry to respond, but plunged ahead. "I'll tell you why, Harry. First and foremost, she's had her eye on the Potter fortune, probably since the moment she befriended you. Getting you to marry her daughter just gave her the opportunity to get access to your money."

"But I didn't have anything when I first met the Weasleys," Harry said. "I was wearing my cousin Dudley's ragged hand-me-downs that were way too big for me when I met them at the train station. She didn't know how much money there was in my vault and I didn't mention it to them."

Lucius chuckled lowly at Harry's naivete. "The Potter fortune is no secret to anyone in the wizarding world," he told the younger wizard. "The Potters are one of the oldest pureblood families -- almost as old as my family. It was well known to everyone that James and Lily Potter lived in the lap of luxury. Molly Weasley would have had to have resided under a rock not to know how much money you'd come into once you came of age."

"Well, she did seem to be too good to be true when I first met her," Harry said in a small voice. "She treated me like I was her own child from the moment she met me and pretty much took over seeing after my needs right away. It did seem a little weird at first, but I figured that I didn't know what a real family was supposed to be like because of the way the Dursleys neglected me."

"Getting back to my original point, I advise you not to start divorce proceedings just yet," Lucius told him patiently. "If you were to sue for divorce at this particular point in time, the Weasleys would stand a good chance of winning a large percentage of the Potter fortune in the settlement. Ginevra has not yet made good on her plans to join the Holyhead Harpies, plus she's just very recently given birth."

Pausing a moment for effect, he continued, "If you started proceedings now, I guarantee you that Molly Weasley would go straight to the papers with it, presenting her daughter as an innocent victim who will be left to raise a child alone in poverty, while you ran off to indulge your own selfish interests. Considering the fact that Molly Weasley was voted "Mother of the Year" by _Witch Weekly_ several years in a row, the public is already predisposed to believe what she would say on such matters."

"What do you suggest I do, then?" Harry asked helplessly. "When should I divorce her?"

"First of all, you need to present yourself as a caring, loving father," the older wizard said. "You've already taken a good first step by resigning as an Auror in order to be a full time father. Secondly, you need to wait until Ginevra actually joins the Harpies and starts practicing with them. In other words, you need to wait until she hangs herself with her own rope."

"That's makes sense," Harry said, beginning to understand where Lucius was going with all of this.

"Plus, I think you should get involved in something philanthropic that benefits children," Lucius said. "In my opinion, you should volunteer at the orphanage. It has the benefit of both underscoring that you're good with children and it's also an activity that you can include James in, as you can bring him along on the days you volunteer. I happen to know that the orphanage could use some help right now as Narcissa is having to cut her hours back because of her pregnancy."

"That sounds like a good idea," Harry conceded. "Plus, it's something I think I'd like to do, anyway, considering that I'm an orphan myself."

"I'm sure you'll do an excellent job," Lucius told him.

"You've given me a lot to think about today," the young wizard told Lucius. "I'm quite grateful for your advice and I'm glad I thought to seek it before running straight to a lawyer."

"You are quite welcome," Lucius drawled. "I'm glad that I was able to assist you. And I will put you in touch with one of my lawyers who will be able to advise you on the proper time to file for divorce."

"Thanks," Harry said. "I appreciate this more than you will ever know."

--  
A/N Nearly 1100 reviews! Wow. Thanks, everyone!  
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	79. A Briefing

Three days later, Harry awakened early. Today was the day he was to start work at the orphanage. Narcissa Malfoy had asked him to drop by Malfoy Manor first thing in the morning, so she could go over a few things with him before he began.

Moving carefully, so as not to awaken Ginny, he slipped out of the room to shower. As he headed down the hall to the bathroom, he met Kreacher, who was dusting the portraits.

"Kreacher," Harry said in a low voice. "If you're not too busy, I need to have a word with you."

"What is it, Master Harry?" the old elf replied. "Has Kreacher done something to displease Master?"

"No, no, not at all," Harry said as he led the elf into an unused bedroom so they could talk privately. He cast a silencing charm at the door, so no one would hear them.

"There are a few things happening that I need to make clear with you," Harry began as the elf paid close attention to him. "First of all, I want to remind you that your primary loyalty is to me. Normally, I wish for you to obey Mrs Weasley's and Mrs Potter's wishes as well, but you must never do what they say if it contradicts something I've already told you to do."

"Of course, Master," Kreacher agreed.

"I want you to come tell me every time they order you to do something against my wishes," Harry reiterated. "And if it's something you're not sure of, come to me and ask before doing what they tell you."

"Kreacher understands perfectly, Master Harry," the old elf told him. Kreacher was well aware of the problems in the Potter marriage. "Kreacher hears things."

"Like what?" Harry asked. He wanted to know what Molly and Ginny talked about when he wasn't home.

"Well, Kreacher has heard you arguing with the two witches," the elf began. "But I hear them talking about Master Harry when you're not here."

"What do they say?" Harry prodded.

"The old mistress tells the young mistress how to do things to make you do what she wants," Kreacher said. "And she tells her that she needs to keep things from you that she doesn't want you to know; that's it's for your own good. She tells young mistress that this is something that all married witches must do to be happy."

"I see," Harry responded slowly, turning away in thought. He was unsurprised by Kreacher's report, yet he couldn't help but feel betrayed. However, it served to strengthen his resolve to begin the process of ending his ill-conceived marriage to Ginny Weasley.

Turning back to the elf, Harry told him, "I want you to continue monitoring their conversations. I want you especially to listen for them talking about our marriage, the baby, and Ginny's plans to play professional quidditch."

"Kreacher can do that," the elf replied eagerly.

Changing the subject, Harry told the elf, "I'm going to be spending a good bit of time away from home from now on. I'll be taking James with me a good bit of the time. But on the times I must leave James at home, your primary job is to watch over him and make sure he comes to no harm. Mrs Weasley is not to be left alone with him, nor is she to take him away from Grimmauld Place on her own, unless I've given my permission. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Master Harry," Kreacher said. In the elf's opinion, it was about time that the young master wised up. "Kreacher will be happy to do Master's bidding."

"Good," Harry said briefly. "I'm going to be out for several hours today. I want you to get James ready to go with me while I'm getting a shower. Pack up everything he'll need for the day in the bottomless diaper bag."

"Yes, Master Harry," Kreacher said. "Kreacher will give Young Master a bottle, too."

"Fine," Harry said, as he released the wards around the door. "I'll meet you in the kitchen in a little while then."

A short time later, Harry managed to slip out of the house with James without meeting Molly or Ginny. Ginny was normally a late sleeper and Molly had still been in the shower when he apparated away from Grimmauld Place. He'd left a note for them in the kitchen, plus had briefed Kreacher on what to say when they asked him about it.

He apparated directly to Malfoy Manor, as Narcissa had asked him to do. She'd promised a light breakfast over tea.

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were waiting for Harry, as the house elf who had answered the door led him into the breakfast room. Harry knew that Lucius divided his time between his two women, yet he was surprised to see the haughty wizard here. He was curious about what Hermioen was doing, but thought it better not to ask in front of Narcissa Malfoy.

"Mr Potter," Narcissa greeted him, smiling. "Do have a seat." Turning to the house elf waiting by her side, she said, "Bring Mr Potter a cup of tea and a plate, if you please."

After the elf had scurried away, the blond witch returned her attention to her guest and the baby he held. "James is a beautiful baby," Narcissa said, sighing at the thought that she'd be holding her own baby in a few month's time. "May I hold him?"

"Of course," Harry said, as he walked over to the pregnant witch to hand James to her.

Lucius looked indulgently over at Narcissa as she fussed over the new Potter heir, imagining her with the new child they were soon to have, while also remembering when Draco was first born.

"He's adorable!" Narcissa told Harry. "I know you must be so proud of him."

"He's pretty special," Harry said quietly. "He's probably the best thing that's happened in my life so far."

Changing the subject, Narcissa said, "So, Harry. Tell me more about your interest in working at the orphanage." Lucius had told her about Harry's marital woes and of his suggestion that the younger wizard volunteer at the orphanage, but she wanted to hear Harry's motivations for herself.

"Well, I'm embarrassed that I didn't think of it myself earlier," Harry began hesitantly. "But when Mr Malfoy suggested it to me as a strategy for me to gain custody of James after I'm divorced, I realized that it was an excellent idea on its own. I'm an orphan myself, so I'll be able to understand how those kids will be feeling. Plus, it will give me a chance to be with James more and help me to be a better father to him."

Narcissa gave Harry a genuine smile, satisfied with his answers. She knew he was sincere; Gryffindors were incapable of the obfuscations that came second nature to Slytherins.

"Wonderful," she said. "I'm sure you'll do well with the children and I'll also be happy to answer any questions you might have in the future about raising little boys. I think I have a little experience with that."

"Just a little," Lucius agreed, leaning over to kiss his wife on the cheek. Turning to the younger wizard, he continued, "The reason we asked you to come here first was so I could give you a briefing."

"Briefing?" Harry was confused.

"I took the liberty of inviting a reporter from the _Daily Prophet_ to cover your first day as a volunteer," Lucius explained smoothly. "It's important to start laying the groundwork for the public image you wish to cultivate. This is so that when it comes time to pursue your divorce, the public will be used to seeing you in the caring father role and one who is concerned for the welfare of all children."

"Won't it just make Molly and Ginny suspicious in addition to making them angry?" Harry asked. "And I'm really rather tired of having no privacy."

"They're going to be angry at anything you do beyong saying, 'Yes, ma'am,'" the older wizard said dryly. "But it's perfectly natural that the wizarding world would be interested in what 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' is doing with his life, especially in relation to his son. I know you would prefer to be out of the spotlight and live in privacy, but now is not the time for that. For the sake of your son, you'll have to bear the limelight awhile longer."

"I understand," Harry conceded. "I'll just be glad to get all this behind me, so James and I can live our lives in peace."

"The media can be a rather useful tool for presenting one's public image," Lucius told the younger wizard. "Properly managed, that is. You'll find it's much easier to control what they say about you and, more importantly, how they say it, when you initiate contact with them and alert them to possible stories of interest that you wanted them to cover, anyway. You'll find that when you supply the press with stories on a regular basis, that they are more inclined to respect your privacy in other matters." With a rueful laugh, he concluded, "Of course, this isn't foolproof, especially when it comes to barracudas like Rita Skeeter."

Before Harry could comment, Narcissa said, "Shall we go? I've told the children you're coming and they're looking foward to meeting you. I won't expect you to do much today, but simply follow me around to get a feel of how we do things and to get acquainted with the children."

"Yeah," Harry said, taking James back from her. "Let's go."

--  
A/N Thanks again to my loyal readers and reviewers  
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	80. The Orphanage and the Hospital

A short time later, Harry and Narcissa arrived at the orphanage. Lucius had returned to the penthouse, as he and Hermione were going to St Mungo's for Lucia's first "well baby" checkup and for Hermione's final post-natal exam. He'd also thought it best that he not appear too often in public with Harry during his pre-divorce phase in order to avoid being seen by the public as his "handler".

As Harry and Narcissa apparated to the grounds of the children's home, they were met by a reporter with a camera from the _Daily Prophet._

"Mr Potter!" the reported called. "May I ask you a few questions?"

Before Harry could answer, Narcissa stepped in. "You may ask Mr Potter a few questions, but I really must get him started with his work shortly. You are welcome to follow us on our rounds to take photos after the interview is over, however."

"Mr Potter, is it true that you resigned your post as an Auror?" the reporter asked, wasting no time.

"That's right," Harry said briefly.

"What were your reasons for that decision," the reporter asked, with his Quick Quill poised in the air waiting for Harry's response. "It was generally understood that you had a bright future there; perhaps becoming the head Auror one day."

Looking down at James, then turning so the reporter could see him better, Harry said simply, "Here's my reason. Since the end of the war, the Auror department has mostly consisted of administrative work, and there are several Aurors devoted to that task. They don't need me." Gazing down again at his baby son with loving pride, Harry said, "But James needs me. I intend to be there for him, not off somewhere being a paper pusher."

"What made you decide to volunteer at the orphanage," the reporter inquired.

"Once James was born, it made me think of the kids who aren't as fortunate as James; who don't have loving parents like he does," Harry said earnestly. "I grew up as an orphan with muggle relatives who neglected me, so I know how terrible it is. Being James' father has reminded me of my childhood and made me realize I need to do something to make a difference in the lives of children without parents."

"How about Mrs Potter?" the reporter pressed. "Will she also be volunteering here at the orphanage?"

At this point, Narcissa stepped in. "We're getting behind schedule here, so I must regretfully take Mr Potter away from you for awhile," she said with a bland smile. "We're going to have a private staff meeting now to introduce Harry, but you're welcome to take pictures of the grounds and classroom while you're waiting for us to begin our rounds." Not waiting for a reply, she hurried off, with Harry following close behind.

"Thanks," Harry said to Narcissa, once they were out of earshot of the reporter. "You really got me out of a jam when he asked me about Ginny. I wasn't sure if I'd have been able to come up with a good response to that question."

"Quite all right," she said, smiling. "As you would imagine, I have quite a bit of experience in deflecting awkward questions from the press." After a pause, she continued, "You'll be working with Andromeda and Xeno Lovegood mostly, and there are several other part-time volunteers you'll eventually meet. And you'll be coordinating with Reg and Mary Cattermole, who are the houseparents and take care of the hosekeeping, cooking, and maintenance."

"I look forward to it," Harry said sincerely. "I think I'm going to enjoy working here.

--

Molly Weasley was puzzled as she exited the bathroom after taking a shower. Normally, at this time of morning, little James would be stirring, crying for his breakfast and she'd hear either Ginny or Harry attending to him. But all was silent as she padded down the hallway toward her room.

Curious, she passed her own room to go check on James, whose room was next to hers on the same side of the hall. She was surprised to find the crib empty as she entered the room.

Moving to Ginny and Harry's room, she found Ginny alone in bed, still deep in slumber.

"I suppose Harry must have already taken him downstairs," she muttered to herself as she shut the door to Ginny's room.

But after she'd dressed for the day and gone downstairs for breakfast, she found the kitchen deserted. She did not noticed the note Harry had propped up against the sugar bowl on the kitchen table.

Now concerned, she stood at the bottom of the stairs and bellowed, "Ginny!"

After a long pause, her sleepy daughter appeared at the top of the stairs rubbing her eyes and yawning. "What is it, Mum? You could have awakened the dead, you were so loud."

"Never mind that," Molly said. "I can't find James or Harry anywhere! Did he tell you that he was going somewhere this morning?"

"No," Ginny said slowly. "He and I haven't really been talking much since he found out I applied to the Harpies."

"You don't suppose he's decided to leave you?" Molly pondered.

"I don't think so, Mum," Ginny said. "He's pretty angry with me, but he'll get over it. He always does."

"Well, you need to make sure he gets back in line," Molly said firmly. "Perhaps a trip to the Voluptuous Vixen lingerie shop might be in order? As I've told you before, if you keep your husband satisfied in the bedroom, he'll be putty in your hands. Men are such simple creatures, you know."

"Mum!" Ginny exclaimed, completely mortified to be discussing sex with her mother.

"You know I'm right," Moly asserted, not in the least bit embarrassed. "But now we need to find out where Harry went with James."

"Maybe Kreacher knows," Ginny suggested.

"Kreacher!" Molly bellowed. She wasn't aware that the elderly elf had been under the stairwell the entire time eavesdropping on their conversation.

Kreacher popped in right in front of the Weasley matriarch. "Did Old Mistress called Kreacher?"

"Did you see Harry leave with James this morning," she demanded. When the elf nodded, she prodded, "Well? Where did they go?"

"Did you not read Master Harry's note he left in the kitchen?" Kreacher said, unwillingly to tell the witch anything more than he had to.

Molly went into the kitchen where she found the note Harry had left, sitting in plain sight.

_Dear Gin,_

_James and I have gone to the orphanage for the day. I've decided to volunteer my time helping out there and probably will be doing it two or three times a week._

_I don't know how long I'll be gone today, so don't hold my meals for me._

_Harry_

Ginny had come up behind her mother as she read the note. "The orphanage?" Ginny said, confused. "He never mentioned wanting to volunteer there to me. I wonder what made him want to do that?"

"I don't know," Molly said, frowning. "But I'm certainly going to ask him as soon as he gets home, that's for sure."

--

Back in London, Lucius and Hermione had left the penthouse to go to St Mungo's for Hermione's final postnatal exam and for Lucia's first well baby exam at the pediahealer's office.

As they arrived at the wizarding medical facility, Lucius turned to Hermione and said, "I'll take Lucia to the pediahealer, while you get your final exam. I think it will be easier on Lucia that way."

"You're right," Hermione agreed.

"We'll meet back here after the exams, then," Lucius said as he escorted her to the door of Calandra Jones' office. "We can get lunch in Diagon Alley afterward, if you like."

"That would be great," Hermione said. "I'd also like to go to Flourish and Blotts after lunch as I need to start my research for my first Muggle Studies book." Giving Lucius a kiss, then Lucia, she said, "I'll see you two in a little while!"

A short time later, Hermione got up to get dressed after her examination, glad to have it out of the way.

"You're in fine shape, Hermione," Calandra Jones told her. "You and Lucius should be able to have as many children as you desire."

"I'm sure Lucius will be glad to know that," Hermione told her. "We would like to have two or three children, at least."

As she left Calandra Jones' office, she met Lucius coming back down the hall with Lucia.

"Well?" she asked. "How did Lucia's examination go?"

"Very well indeed," Lucius reported with a wide smile. "The healer said she's in perfect health and that she has a strong magical core. She predicted that Lucia will probably come into her magic very early on." After a pause, he gazed down at Hermione and asked, "How about you? How did your exam go?"

"Calandra told me that I've recovered nicely and that we'll be able to have as many children as we want," she told him, beaming.

Giving her an evil grin, he said, "Why don't we go home right way, then, and get started on that second child?"

"There's nothing more I'd like to do than 'try' for another baby," she told him. "But she still wants me to wait a couple more weeks to completely heal before we start having sex again."

"You can't blame a man for trying," he said, with a theatrical sigh. "In that case, why don't we drop Lucia off at home with Breezy, then go have some lunch before we go to Flourish and Blotts."

"That sounds like a plan," Hermione said agreeably.

--  
A/N Thanks to my readers and reviewers for continuing to stick with this story.  
A/N I've started posting a _Patriot_ story, _Complications of War_. This is a tweaked repost of the story wrote six years ago and had posted elsewhere.  
A/N Next chapter yet to be named


	81. A Bit of Relief

A/N: I thought I'd give you a bit of smut, as I've not included any in awhile and poor Lucius is getting decidedly randy. It's a short chapter, but I'm hoping the content will distract you from that fact.  
--

Hermione fumed in silent frustration as she perused the stacks at Flourish and Blotts. She'd been looking for some books to help start her research for writing her first Muggle Studies textbook, but had so far ended up empty-handed.

"Bollocks" she muttered under her breath. "This is a huge waste of time."

At that moment Lucius appeared at her side, having had a similarly fruitless search in another row for books about wizarding primary education. He planned to write a book about the topic, which would prime the wizarding public to accept this fundamental change in education. Once the book had been released and read, he planned to seriously advocate this idea to the Hogwarts Governors' Board, along with his plans for providing the proper orientation into the wizarding world for muggleborns and their families, along with muggle-raised halfbloods.

"As I recall, I believe we began our relationship on this very note," Lucius observed dryly as he leaned down give her a quick kiss on the top of her head. "You were fuming about a book you'd skimmed when I first engaged you in conversation."

"That's right!" Hermione said, smiling. "It was that awful book about squibs." Reaching up to give him a quick kiss, she continued, "I can't believe it's been almost a whole year since that happened."

"Time flies when you're having fun, my dear," Lucius told her, returning her smile. After a pause, he asked, "Are you not having any luck finding books for your research?"

"Not at all!" she exclaimed in disgust. "What little they have here on muggles is outdated, incomplete, misleading, or just plain wrong! I'm simply not going to find anything useful for my research here, I'm afraid."

"I can't say as I'm having much better luck researching pre-Hogwarts education," he informed her. "There's plenty about the topic, of course, but it's all geared to home schooling: practical advice for parents educating their children, how to choose a private tutor, and so on. Apparently, the idea of establishing a primary school system never occurred to anyone."

"It would seem as if we have our work cut out for us then," Hermione sighed. "We might as well go home. It's about time for me to feed Lucia, anyway."

"All right," he said. "Just let me pay for these books first."

"What do you have?" she asked. "I though you came up empty-handed as well."

"I did as far as a primary school system goes," he confirmed. "But I found a few that might be of some use in designing a standard curriculum for a future school system. I also intend to get with Draco's former tutor at some point and exchange ideas with him as well."

A half hour later, Lucius and Hermione were seated cozily side by side as they enjoyed their afternoon tea. Hermione had fed Lucia, with Breezy whisking her away for another nap just moments before.

"I've been thinking that we ought to take a trip to Salem to do some research there," Hermione told Lucius after they'd finished their tea. "You remember that they've already got such programs in place, plus I'm sure their Muggle Studies program could be successfully adapted for our needs."

"That a good idea," Lucius agreed. "We are about due for some time away, I think." Reaching over to take her hand, he murmured in a low voice, "And that would be an excellent place to resume our sex life. Why don't we leave for Massachusetts in about two weeks or so?"

"I should be ready for you then," Hermione said, blushing. "I can hardly wait; it's all I can do now to keep my hands off you."

"It's becoming increasing difficult for me to restrain myself around you as well," he admitted, giving her a knowing leer. "Actually, what I'd really like to do at this moment is take you into the bedroom and shag you senseless."

"You'll get your chance, soon enough," Hermione told him, returning his wicked grin. "And, you know, there _is_ something I can do for you right now to take the edge off for awhile..."

Not waiting for a response, she aimed her wand at the library door, casting a locking spell on it, plus a quick _Muffliato_ after that.

She walked over in front of Lucius' chair, then sank slowly to the floor in front of him. Lucius parted his legs, sighing in eager anticipation of what was to come.

Hermione slithered in between his open legs, then ran her hands seductively up his thighs, impatient with the cloth that put a barrier between them.

Lucius looked down at her with heavy-lidded eyes watching her movements, almost mewling with need.

"Patience, my love," Hermione said lowly as she reached to caress his already stiff cock through his trousers, which throbbed impatiently in response to her touch. After a moment, she undid his belt, then unfastened his trousers to release his straining manhood from its cloth prison.

She sighed in arousal as it stood rigidly at attention in front of her. Knowing the level of Lucius' need, she did not hesitate, but bent immediately to take him into her mouth.

No sooner had Hermione begun to run her fluttering tongue up and down his length, paying particular attention to the underside of the head, she felt Lucius' hands tangling in her hair.

"Mmmm, unnngh," he groaned in response to Hermione's oral ministrations. "Oh, yes, that's the way to do it. Mmm."

As she continued to pleasure Lucius, she felt him flex his hips, thrusting insistently into her mouth.

"Suck it harder," he muttered, his voice thick with arousal, as he felt the first faint tendrils of his approaching climax.

She obeyed, while reaching her hand to gently caress his testicles, not once breaking the rhythm of her tongue's worship of his pulsing shaft.

"Take it all," he growled, as he thrust up hard one last time as he shot his hot seed deep into her throat, at the same time holding her head down.

Hermione stilled as she felt the spasms of Lucius' cock in her mouth, immediately followed by the warm jets of his ejaculate. She accepted it willingly, pausing only to swallow, with him still deep in her mouth.

They both remained in this position for several long moments: Hermione's head on his lap, her arms around him, and Lucius with his head lolling back against the chair, as his hands idly caressed her hair.

Finally, Hermione reluctantly raised her head from his lap, then staggered back to her feet, while Lucius tucked himself back in and straightened his clothes.

"Come here, witch," he growled as she gained her feet, pulling her down to sit on his lap. Wrapping his arms securely around her, he claimed her mouth for an unhurried passionate kiss.

When they finally came up for air, he murmured, "Have I told you lately just how much I love you?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly. "But I never tire of hearing the words."

"I'm sorry that you didn't get anything out of that," he told her earnestly. "But you can be certain that I will make it up to you as soon as possible."

"Oh, but I did!" Hermione assured him. "Knowing that it was me who caused those delicious moans to come from your throat is a real turn-on for me."

Several long minutes later, Lucius drawled, "Just what was it what we were talking about, do you remember?"

"I haven't the foggiest," Hermione replied, as she snuggled closer into his embrace. "I can't say as I care very much right now what it was, either."

--  
A/N Thanks to all my readers and reviewers, old and new. Without you, this story would not have grown as it has.  
A/N Next chapter, yet to be named.


	82. Harry Lays Down the Law

"I think you did very well for your first day," Narcissa told Harry late that afternoon. "All the children seemed to love you and you most definitely have a way with them that they respond well to."

"It was pretty easy for me to get along with them," he said. "I've been in their shoes and I understand what they're going through. Of course, they're much luckier than I was not being left to live with a lot of miserable muggles for ten years. I still haven't quite figured out why Dumbledore left me with the Dursleys, knowing how they were. I don't really completely buy that "blood wards" excuse. I could have been perfectly safe growing up at Hogwarts as a ward to any of the professors, considering that Hogwarts has some of the strongest wards in the wizarding world."

"I'm sure you know most of the answer by now, Harry," Narcissa said gently. "After hearing the prophecy about you and the Dark Lord, Dumbledore intended to use you as a pawn to destroy him, believing that you were the only one who could kill him. As part of that plan, he had to isolate you from anyone who would be sympathetic to your plight, so that you would naturally turn to him as a saviour once you came to Hogwarts. Plus, he had to make sure you'd not prefer to remain in the muggle world."

Harry opened his mouth to protest the witch's blunt appraisal of Albus Dumbledore, but closed it again when it suddenly hit him that her words had the unmistakable ring of truth to them. He remembered how much Dumbledore had kept important information from him, distanced himself from Harry when Harry needed him most. He especially resented the summer before his fifth year when Dumbledore had prevented Ron and Hermione from communicating with him, making his isolation complete until the Dementor incident. Indeed, Harry now felt almost grateful that the Dementors had shown up, for it had forced Dumbledore to get him away from the Dursleys and to Grimmauld Place.

"You know I'm right, Harry," Narcissa said quietly. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Yes," he said dully. His mind continued to wander back over the years and he suddenly heard Molly Weasley's voice echoing in his head, "_He's just a boy!_", over and over. In an instant, it all clicked into place.

Slamming his fist against the wall, he erupted, "And she was helping him use me all along! I can't believe I was so blind!"

"Who, Harry?" Narcissa asked.

"Molly Weasley," he spat out. "She did her level best to keep me in the dark about things, even when others, such as Sirius Black wanted to tell me more of what was going on. Even Ron and Hermione always seemed to know things I didn't." He turned away from the Malfoy matriarch in helpless frustration.

Narcissa didn't say a word, but merely looked on in silent sympathy.

"And that brings me to another thing," Harry fumed. "She's been staying at Grimmauld Place meddling into my marriage ever since James was born and I want her out. I'm not working any longer and I'm taking care of James now, so we don't need her around. Ginny can recover well enough on her own without her mother hovering all the time, as Kreacher can see to any needs she might have. And it's not as if she's particularly weak, if she'd thinking of going into training to try out for the Holyhead Harpies!"

"I think that's probably a wise move, Harry," Narcissa told him. "Everyone should have peace in their own home, so it's not unreasonable for you to send her home. She should be tending to her own household instead of trying to run yours."

Heaving a loud sigh, Harry stood up to leave, "I suppose I'd better go home now and do it before I make excuses not to." Looking miserable, he said, "This is something I'm not really looking forward to doing, but it has to be done."

"You're right, Harry," Narcissa agreed. "The sooner you attend to Molly Weasley, the better off you'll be."

"Wish me luck," Harry said with a sheepish smile. "I'm going to need it."

"Good luck, Harry," Narcissa said, patting him on the arm. "But I think you'll handle it just fine. If you could handle the Dark Lord, surely you can handle one meddling witch."

"I hope so." Harry wasn't quite so sure. Moving to the door, he said, "I'd better go now. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

Moments later, Harry and James had apparated back at Grimmauld Place. He'd given James a bottle as he and Narcissa had talked, so the baby was fast asleep as Harry carried him into the house.

No sooner than he'd shut the door behind him than Molly Weasley came swiftly out of the kitchen under a full head of steam.

"Just _where_ have you _been_ all day with my grandson," the Weasley matriarch brayed at him in indignation, head cocked to one side, hands on hips. "You had Ginny and I worried _sick _all day when you took James out without even _asking_ us! I can't believe you could be so irresponsible!"

Harry took several deep breaths to keep from blowing up at his meddling mother-in-law. "I hardly think I need anyone's permission to take my own son out of the house," Harry said in a cold voice, his anger barely controlled. "And I left Ginny a note clearly telling her where I was going and about how long I'd be."

"But James needs to be taken care of by _women_ when he's a baby," Molly insisted. "Men simply don't have the proper instincts when it comes to taking care of babies."

"I beg to differ," Harry retorted icily. "He's my son and I intend to take care of him myself, no matter what you say." Wanting to needle his mother-in-law a bit, he added with a cheeky grin, "And Narcissa Malfoy seems to think I'm doing a perfectly fine job taking care of James."

"Narcissa Malfoy!" Molly sniffed, eyes narrowed. "What in the world would _that _woman know about taking care of children? I'd daresay that Draco Malfoy was raised by house elves until Lucius Malfoy took a notion to make a Death Eater out of him!"

Harry rolled his eyes to the ceiling at the witch's words. "I can see I'm not going to be able to reason with you," he said. turning to take James to the kitchen, where an extra bassinet for James sat.

Molly Weasley followed directly on his heels, not to be put off. "I'm not done with you yet, Harry Potter! I just want to know what you were thinking dragging James off to an orphanage filled with all sorts of strange children who could be carrying who knows what kind of diseases. And letting him get anywhere near the Malfoys! Why, I should --"

Harry had had enough. Cutting her off, he demanded, "You should what?" Whirling on the red-haired witch, he said, "And you're wrong. You _are_ done with me." Moving closer to her, he said firmly, "I want you out of here today! You've overstayed your welcome."

At this moment, Ginny entered the kitchen, having heard the commotion from upstairs. "What's going on here?" she demanded. "I could hear you both from the loo upstairs!"

Both Harry and Molly ignored Ginny, so intent were they on one another.

"I'm not going to leave!" Molly declared. "Ginny's only just given birth! She needs my help running the household!"

"Help running the household, you say?" Harry said with a derisive snort. "_Kreacher_ runs the household and he does so perfectly well enough without your interference! As far as Ginny's health goes, I'd imagine that if she's getting ready to train for the Holyhead Harpies, that she doesn't need your coddling, either!"

"You can't send Mum home!" Ginny broke in. "I need her here!"

"As far as I'm concerned, you can pack up your stuff and go with her, Ginny," Harry said dismissively. "I've had enough of both of you and I'm not going to take it anymore."

Turning to give his wife a hard expression, he added "But know this. No matter what decision you make, James stays here with me."

Both women were stunned into silence at Harry's aggressive words, not quite believing what they were hearing.

Molly regained her voice first, "Neither one of us is going anywhere!"

"You think so?" Harry said. Beckoning to Kreacher, who was listening in the hallway, he said. "Mrs Weasley is going home. Please pack up all her belongings and send them to the Burrow, then make sure she leaves the property."

"With pleasure, Master Harry!" the old elf croaked, immediately disapparating to do Harry's bidding.

Turning back to Ginny, he said, "So, what's it going to be? Me or your mother?"

Not answering Harry, she ran up the stairs where he heard her bang their bedroom door shut a moment later.

"I'll take that to mean she's decided to stay for now," Harry said with indifference. Facing Molly again, he indicated the kitchen fireplace, which was connected to the floo network. "You can either wait for Kreacher to escort you out or you can go now with a bit of dignity. Your choice."

Muttering loudly to herself, she headed to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Just before throwing it, she warned, "Don't think you've heard the last of this, Harry Potter". A moment later, she disappeared into a cloud of green smoke.

"One down, one to go," Harry said in grim satisfaction to James, who was now whimpering from all the drama. "Then it will be just you and me."

---  
A/N Thanks everyone who is still along for the ride!  
A/N Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	83. Contract

Several days later, Lucius and Narcissa lingered in bed well into late morning. He'd returned to Malfoy Manor a couple of days earlier and, fueled by the oral sex Hermione had recently bestowed upon him, had redirected some of his not wholly satisfied lust onto Narcissa. The previous night, he'd kept his pregnant wife up until the middle of the night with his amorous attentions.

Narcissa awakened to Lucius' lips kissing her neck, his hands roaming her body. She stretched languidly as her husband continued his ministrations, feeling his long, silky hair brushing her neck.

"Lucius, I really think we ought to get up now," Narcissa murmured regretfully, with a quiet laugh. "They'll be wondering where I am at the orphanage."

"Let them wonder," Lucius growled. "You'd said Andromeda would be there today and that Mr Potter is learning quickly how to run things." Pausing to nip at her neck, he added, "They will all still be there after we're done."

"I never could say no to you," Narcissa said, as she rolled over into her husband's fevered embrace.

About an hour later, they'd finally left their bed to enjoy a leisurely brunch in the breakfast room. Narcissa still intended to spend the afternoon at the orphanage, but was now in no hurry, wanting to spend as much time as possible with her husband before he and Hermione left on their trip to America.

"So, what do you plan to do this afternoon?" Narcissa asked Lucius when they were almost finished eating.

"A representative from Obscurus Books is coming over to the penthouse to discuss Hermione's proposal for the 7 book series of Muggle Studies textbooks," he told her. "I also plan to remind him of my book idea for a blueprint for pre-Hogwarts primary education, focusing on acclimating muggleborns and muggle raised children into wizarding society. Hermione and I intended to donate half the proceeds from our books to the orphanage and to the Hogwarts fund for needy students."

"How long do you think it will take her to write all seven books?" Narcissa asked.

"She doesn't have a definite time period pinned down," Lucius said. "She is planning to have them all done and adopted by Hogwarts roughly by the time Lucia is ready to start there, however." Pausing to take a last bite of toast, he continued, "I'm on somewhat of a looser schedule with mine. Though I'll likely finish it much sooner, I can afford to take a few years to get it ready for print."

"It sounds as if you have things well in hand," Narcissa observed. "And what an ingenious way to expand your sphere of influence; through the written word."

"Yes, exactly," Lucius said. "You know me well, my dear. And now with Dumbledore gone, I can finally exert some influence to get some long-needed changes accomplished at Hogwarts. Now is the perfect time to act, while Horace Slughorn is Headmaster, as we might well end up with another Gryffindor Headmaster once Horace decides to retire for good this time."

"I won't keep you, then," Narcissa said, leaning over to give Lucius a kiss as she rose from the table. "I really need to get to the orphanage, as Andromeda has planned to take Teddy to see his muggle great-grandparents today."

"All right, then," Lucius said, returning her kiss with one of his own. "Don't work too hard, today. Let Mr Potter do most of the work while you merely supervise."

"Don't worry," she said, laughing. "I won't overexert myself."

Nearly an hour later, Lucius came through the floo at the penthouse, finding it empty. Before leaving the room, he noticed that Hermione's notes about the book proposal sat neatly on the writing desk, ready for when their guest arrived.

He strode down the hall, finding Hermione putting Lucia to bed in the nursery. Smiling indulgently at the sight of her lovingly caring for their daughter, he kissed her and murmured, "I missed you both tremendously when I was at Malfoy Manor. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have a baby in the house until I was away for a few days."

Hermione laughed quietly. "You were only gone for a couple of days," she noted. "Hardly enough time to pine away."

"Ah, but babies change so quickly at Lucia's age," he said seriously. "I missed so much with Draco when he was first born because of the Dark Lord's insane obsession with the Potters, and I don't wish to make that mistake twice."

"Lucia is so lucky to have you as her Daddy," Hermione said, squeezing his arm in affection.

"I'm the lucky one," he said quietly. "To have both of you in my life."

The couple stood for several long moments looking down at their infant daughter as she drifted off to sleep, as if this was the most fascinating activity in the world.

Finally, Hermione whispered, "I think she's asleep."

Seeing that she was right, Lucius took her hand as they quietly crept out of the room. Once out in the hall, Hermione pointed her wand at the door, casting a one-way silencing charm, so that they could hear her if she cried, but she would not be disturbed by noises from other parts of the penthouse.

A moment later, when they were back in the library, Hermione asked, "What time is that bloke from Obscurus Books coming by?" Pointing to the desk, she added, "I have my notes all ready for him."

Glancing at the clock over the fireplace, he said, "He should be here any time now."

"I'd better change into something a bit dressier, then," Hermione said, rushing from the room. "I wouldn't want him to see me in my ratty old 'Mum' robes."

"No, we can't have that," Lucius chuckled. "Though I think you look smashing in anything you happen to be wearing."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she promised, giving him a naughty look.

"I'll hold you to that," he said. "Unfortunately, it wil have to wait until later."

Twenty minutes later, Breezy escorted Darius Dingwell, the senior editor at Obscurus Books, into the library, where Lucius and Hermione were ensconced over tea.

"Ah, Darius," Lucius greeted the man. "Good to see you again. Do sit down." With a flick of his wand, a cup of tea appeared in the air in front of his guest. "Tea?"

"Yes, thank you," the other man said, plucking the cup from where it floated.

"I trust that Mrs Dingwell and the children are doing well?" Lucius inquired, making polite conversation before getting down to business.

"Yes, fine, thank you," Dingwell replied. "I'll pass along your regards to her."

Reaching for his briefcase, he turned to Hermione and said, "I've carefully read your proposal, Mrs Granger-Malfoy, and I must certainly say that your plan to totally revamp the Hogwarts Muggle Studies program by introducing a different book for each year is a sound and timely one. I was muggle raised myself and I remember how ridiculously laughable the program was when I was there. I can't imagine it had changed any during your time."

"Not at all," Hermione assured him. "It's still a big joke. And it's what inspired me to want to write my own textbooks. As a muggleborn, I think I can do better."

"Lucius tells me that you were one of the best students Hogwarts has seen in the 20th century," Dingwell said. "He assures me that you're more than capable of doing the job." After a pause, he added, "And the sample essays you included have convinced me that Lucius knows what he's talking about."

"It's an issue I feel strongly about," she said.

"When you sent your query letter, you had not indicated any proposed book titles, nor the exact subjects you wished to emphasize," Dingwell noted. "I trust that you've since nailed that down."

"Oh, yes," Hermione said. Picking up a folder which sat on her lap, she said, "Here are the working titles I've come up with for each book, which indicate which aspect of muggle life I intend to stress."

Dingwell took the parchment she'd offered him and sat silently reading for a few moments:

**Proposed Title List **

**for**

**7 Book Muggle Studies Textbooks**

Year One -- Introduction to the Muggle World

Year Two -- Muggle Technology: How Muggles Manage Without Magic

Year Three -- Muggle History

Year Four -- Muggle Culture and Family Life

Year Five -- Muggle Psychology

Year Six -- Muggle Politics

Year Seven -- Muggle/Magical Relations

"This is quite an ambitious course of study," Dingwell noted. "Am I correct in understanding that Headmaster Slughorn is in agreement with your proposed changes to the Muggle Studies program?"

"He is," Lucius put in. "I've also discussed it with the Governors' Board and they are also receptive to the idea."

"And what's more, I will magically charm each book to be self updating as new information becomes available and events happen that will make parts of the old text obsolete," Hermione told him.

"Excellent!," he replied. Turning to Lucius, "I'm also interested in publishing your proposal about instituting a primary education system that would get the muggleborn and muggle raised children into the wizarding world at an earlier age. It's something that has been brought up from time to time over the yeas, but I've not seen any ideas on how to implement it that were as cogent as yours. It should be a good companion book to Mrs Granger-Malfoy's books."

"We certainly hope so," he said. "And I'm quite sure these books will generate quite a tidy profit for Obscurus Books as well."

"I'm sure," the other wizard said. Turning to the couple, he said, "I'll be drawing up a contract for the books as soon as possible and we should have everything in order by the end of the week."

"Wonderful," Hermione said, smiling, thrilled to know that her dream of becoming a published author was about to become reality.

"I must be going now, but I'll get in touch soon," Dingwell, promised, rising from his seat.

"I look forward to it," Hermione replied.

"Allow me to see you out," Lucius said, rising as well.

As the two men walked down the corridor, Dingwell turned to Lucius and said, "I wish you'd reconsider my standing offer to publish a memoir of your years as a Death Eater."

"Perhaps, one day," Lucius said vaguely, pressing his lips together tightly. "But not now. The memories are too fresh for me to write about that phase of my life with any objectivity."

"I understand," the other wizard said. "But if you ever change your mind..."

"Yes, you'll be the first one I call," Lucius promised as they reached the door. "Good afternoon, Mr Dingwell."

Returning to the library, he found Hermione standing in the doorway. "What's that about publishing a book about your Death Eater years? You've never mentioned it to me."

Lucius sighed in frustration. "I'd never mentioned it to you, because I really don't have any intention of following through. It's a part of my life I'd like to put behind me. There are things I did that I don't care for Lucia to ever know."

"I understand," Hermione said, not really wanting to know all the details of his time with Voldemort, either. Smiling brightly, she said, "Why don't we have some dinner? I'm about ready to eat."

"Sounds like a fine idea," Lucius agreed.

---  
A/N: Many, many thanks to all of you who believe in my story. It's what's kept me writing it for over a year.  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	84. Flight to America

A/N I needed to put in a "bridge" chapter. I hope it isn't too boring.

---

Two weeks later, Hermione helped Breezy as the small elf readied Lucia's things for the trip to America. Breezy was nearly humming with excitement to be accompanying the Malfoys on their trip, as she'd never traveled outside England before.

"Breezy is happy that Master and Mistress is allowing her to come to America," the elf burbled joyfully. "Breezy cannot wait to meet American elves."

"Perhaps an American male elf?" Hermione teased gently.

The adolescent elf blushed as much as it was possible for a grey-skinned creature to blush. "Oh, yes, Mistress Hermione," she admitted shyly. "Breezy is just the right age to be finding a mate!"

Hermione had never given thought before to how house elves went about their personal relationships, but she smiled to herself to know that adolescent elves were little different from adolescent humans in this regard.

"Well, I certainly hope you meet a handsome, eligible elf while we're in America, then," Hermione told her. "Any elf would be lucky to have you."

"Master Lucius said that when I find a suitable mate that he will agree to have his loyalty transferred to him and that he'll be his new butler," Breezy informed her. "Breezy cannot wait until this happens."

"Well!" Hermione said noncommittally. "That sounds very nice."

"Whats sounds very nice?" Lucius was standing in the dooway.

"Oh, it was just a bit of girl talk between me and Breezy," Hermione told him. "Nothing worth mentioning.

"I see," Lucius acknowledged with an amused grin. All business once more, he asked, "Are you about through in here? Your parents will be arriving soon for the ride to the airport."

"Yes, everything is ready to go," she assured him.

Kenneth and Jane Granger were accompanying the Malfoys to the United States on holiday. They would be spending the first month visiting various points along the Eastern Seaboard while Lucius and Hermione enjoyed an extended period of private time at their home in Salem. The Grangers would return to Salem in due course to spend a bit of time with their granddaughter before returning to England.

Taking his hand, she added, "I hope you don't mind taking a muggle commercial flight."

"It should be an...interesting...experience," he allowed. "And I agree with you that traveling by airplane is probably best considering how young Lucia is. I understand your misgivings about taking her to America by overseas apparition or flooing."

"And the five of us should be quite comfortable, considering that you bought up all the seats in first class for that flight," Hermione pointed out. "And it's better that Breezy will floo over and will be waiting for us when we get there. I don't think I could disillusion her well enough to pass her off as a two year old human child."

Lucius had come quite a long way in overcoming his anti-muggle attitudes in the time they'd been together, but Hermione recognized it was far too soon to expect him to have to deal with being confined in such close quarters with hundreds of muggles for the several hours it would take to fly the Atlantic. The fact that he was willing to step on a muggle airplane at all spoke volumes for the progress he'd already made.

A short time later, the group was pulling up at Heathrow Airport in Lucius' limousine. They'd left their luggage full size, so that they'd not look out of the ordinary when they arrived at the baggage handling area.

As he stepped out of the limousine at the airport, Lucius looked every bit a wealthy muggle arisocrat in his black Savile Row suit with Stan Shunpike placing several pieces of Louis Vuitton luggage on the pavement next to him. As he stood waiting for his in-laws to check their baggage, he noticed with great satisfaction that several passing muggle women gave him the once-over and overheard one woman commenting to another about gorgeous his hair was, which he'd chosen to wear loose that day.

Hermione had thoroughly briefed Lucius on what would happen at the airport, so he was not surprised when baggage handlers immediately appeared to whisk their luggage away and was able to properly give the information for the baggage claim tag.

Lucius was, however, thoroughly irritated about the bottleneck created by having to go through the security checkpoint.

"This is most inefficient," he complained. "Magic could accomplish this goal far more quickly with a simple wave of a wand and get people to their planes much faster. "

"I agree that it's annoying," Hermione said in a low voice. "But it's necessary to ensure that everyone on board remains safe." Pointing at a security officer running a hand-held electronic wand down the side of one passenger, she said, "And that electronic wand pretty much does the same job as if they used a magical wand, anyway. Plus, the archway you walk through and the conveyor you place your bags on also helps the process along. The only way you could make it any faster would be to add more machines and more officers."

"I see your point," Lucius grumbled. "So be it, then."

"It's nearly our turn," Hermione said. "It won't be much longer now."

The group walked through the security arch without incident less than five minutes later. Lucius and Hermione has disillusioned their wands as a precaution in case the security officers had decided to check them more closely.

As they reached the gate for their flight, they heard their flight being announced over the intercom: "British Airways Flight 309 to Boston is now loading at Gate 51."

"Just in time, I see," Lucius muttered. "We might have missed the flight had we been delayed any longer.

The haughty wizard looked around the large jet's well-appointed first class cabin in grudging approval as he boarded a few moments later. A smiling young muggle woman in uniform stood by the entrance to his left, clipboard in hand.

"May I have your name, sir?" the flight attendant chirped eagerly.

"Lucius Malfoy," the wizard said briefly favoring the attractive young woman with a brief smile.

"Ah, yes, Mr Malfoy," she said, checking his name off the list. _So this was the high roller who'd bought up all the first class seats for a small party of five,_ she thought to herself as she continued to smile compulsively up at the handsome older man.

The wattage in her smile dimmed considerably when she turned to see Hermione boarding the plane with Lucia in her arms. Because of Lucia's obvious resemblance to her father, the young flight attendant correctly guessed Hermione's relationship to Lucius.

"Your name? she asked Hermione, now all business once more."Hermione Granger-_Malfoy_," she replied with the emphasis on Malfoy. She was by now well used to the reactions Lucius got from women wherever they went, but it never ceased to be irritating. She'd discussed this once with Narcissa, who had assured her that after a few years, she'd not even notice it any longer.

"Why don't you take the window seat, Lucius," Hermione offered as he joined him, "You get a much better view that way and I've seen it so many times that it's not a big deal for me any longer."

"Thank you, I will," he said, as he eased himself into the wide, comfortable seat. As Hermione fussed with Lucia, Lucius gazed out the window to see all manner of jet aircraft parked along the tarmac as far as he could see.

"I didn't realize that muggles had so many different kinds of aircraft," he remarked to Hermione in a low voice. "They've had them for about one hundred years, am I correct?"

"1903," Hermione replied. "Close enough to a century."

"Is this the first time you've flown, Lucius," Kenneth Granger called from across the aisle.

"Across the ocean, yes," he replied. "I have, however, traveled by ocean liner a few times."

Jane Granger sighed. "I've always wanted to take a transatlantic cruise."

"I think you would find it most enjoyable," Lucius said. "I've traveled on the Queen Elizabeth II a few times with Narcissa when Draco was a toddler." After a pause, he added, "Perhaps we can do it another time when Lucia is older."

At that moment the flight attendant came to stand in front of the group, between the two rows. "Welcome to British Airways Flight 309," the young woman said. "I'm Marcy, and I'll be your hostess for the flight to Boston's Logan Airport. We will be departing shortly, so I would ask everyone to fasten their seat belts and to make sure that their seats are in the upright position for takeoff."

After the group had complied, with Lucius carefully watching as Hermione did hers, the flight attendant went over the safety procedures, something that Hermione and her parents had heard many times before.

Lucius was exhilarated a few minutes later when the plane took its turn on the runway, as he felt the heavy vibrations of the engines powering up. The plane rapidly gained speed as it rumbled down the runway and finally took flight with a slight bump as the wheels left the ground. As the large jet quickly gained altitude, Lucius looked down at the ground below as buildings and cars grew increasingly Lilliputian in scale.

"Magnificent," he murmured to Hermione. "I would love to learn how to fly one of these airplanes."

If it had been any other man, Hermione would have laughed, but she knew Lucius had the drive and money to make this desire a reality. "I'm sure you'd be a wonderful pilot."

Once they reached cruising altitude, Lucius asked, "So, how long will it take to reach Boston?"

"It should be about seven hours or so," Hermione guessed. "I remember when I flew with my parents to New York one year, it was about that long."

"I know how I'd like to pass the time," Lucius growled seductively in her ear. "But I don't imagine your parents would enjoy the show."

Hermione blushed, giving him a sly grin. "Just you wait until we get to Salem, Lucius Malfoy," she warned. "You'll be out of that suit so fast, you won't know what hit you."

"I'll hold you to that," he murmured, leaning over to give her a kiss. "But that doesn't solve the problem of how we spend the time now. I don't think that looking at clouds for the next seven hours will be sufficient entertainment." After a pause, he said, "I suppose I could read awhile."

"And I brought a travel muggle chess set if you and Dad want to play," she told him. "Or you could watch a movie. I'm going to work on the outline for my first book, I think, while Mum takes Lucia for awhile."

In the end, Lucius ended up reading for a couple of hours, which made him sleepy. "I think I'm going to take a nap," he told Hermione after the flight attendant had served them a meal. "If I'm lucky, I won't wake until we're ready to land.:

Hermione gave him a kiss, as he reclined his chair to nap. "See you in Boston!"

---  
Thanks to all my readers for still hanging in there!

Next chapter; Yet to be named.


	85. A Parting of the Ways

On the same day that Hermione and Lucius were jetting toward America, Harry stood in the doorway of his bedroom watching Ginny pack. She'd received an owl from the Holyhead Harpies, who'd reviewed her record on the Gryffindor quidditch team and had accorded her a spot in their month-long training camp.

"I think that's everything," Ginny said quietly as she snapped her trunk closed. "I've brought more than enough stuff for the entire month."

After reducing it with a wave of her wand, she sat down on the bed, looking up at Harry with an earnest expression. "I'm truly sorry that things have turned out so bad between us, Harry," she said in a soft voice.

"So am I," he said heavily. "I never expected it to be like this."

"I really do love you, you know," she told him in a matter-of-fact voice. "But I think we probably would have been better off if we'd waited a few years to get married. Now that the war has been over for awhile, things have changed and I've realized that there are so many more things I want to do."

"Fine time to realize that," he grumbled, thinking of James. "I suppose you're right. But I don't regret being together because we'd not have had James otherwise."

"Mum really pushed the idea of us getting married," Ginny admitted. "She's always wanted me to live my life just as she has. You know how Mum gets when she's made up her mind about something. There's just no stopping her."

"How well I know that," Harry said ruefully. "She's like a runaway freight train."

Frowning at the unfamiliar reference, Ginny quickly added, "There's nothing wrong with the way she's lived her life, but there's nothing wrong with wanting other things, either."

"I never said there was," he retorted, his tone somewhat testy.

"Mum means well," Ginny said. "But Dad has learned just to stay out of her way and let her think she's had the last word, even when he goes off and does what he was planning to do, anyway."

"Yes, I've noticed him doing that many times," Harry acknowledged. Changing the subject, he said, "Perhaps this separation will do us some good. It will clear the air a bit and allow us both to do a bit of thinking about what we really want out of life."

"I was thinking the same thing," Ginny said. "I'll be able to think about us better without my Mum giving me her opinion every two minutes and telling me what to do."

Harry considered Molly to be the biggest catalyst of the problems between them, but merely nodded rather than voicing his opinion aloud.

After a moment, he stood and walked over to get something he'd hidden behind the dresser. "I bought you something to take to training camp with you," he told her. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to."

He waited until Ginny had obeyed, then retrieved a long, skinny, wrapped package that he'd disillusioned. Walking quietly over to her, he placed the package into her waiting hands, then removed the disillusionment with a flick of his wand.

"You can open your eyes now," Harry told her.

"Oh, Harry, you've bought me a broom!" Ginny exclaimed as she tore the wrapping off. Taking a quick look at the broom, she gasped in surprise. "And not just any broom, either! I've never seen one like this!" Examining it more closely, she saw the Nimbus logo at the end of the broom, but it wasn't any model she was familiar with.

"It's a prototype," he told her. "Nimbus made it to my specifications, actually. I've tested it and it would absolutely blow my old Firebolt out of the water. And they are quite interested in seeing how it works for you during training. Based on how you and I rate it, they plan to release it within a year or two as the Nimbus Tornado."

Ginny was stunned by Harry's unselfish generosity, considering all the problems they'd been having recently. Despite it all, Harry still knew how to give the perfect gift at just the right time.

"I love it," she said quietly, carefully placing it on the bed before getting up to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. "You know, you didn't have to do this. My old Cleansweep 11 would have been perfectly sufficient."

"I wanted to," Harry said quietly. "If you're going to go through with this, I want you to do it right, so it won't all be a useless waste. If you want to be part of the Holyhead Harpies, then be the best damned Harpy you can be."

"I will," she vowed. "You can be sure of that. The Harpies won't know what hit them."

Suddenly feeling awkward, she said, "Well. I suppose it's nearly time for me to go. The train leaves in about an hour."

"I'll go with you and see you off," Harry told her. "We'll just drop James off with Andromeda and he can spend a couple of hours with Teddy today."

"Well, you know Mum is going to be there," Ginny warned. "And she's still pretty angry at you."

"I don't care," Harry shot back. "I have to right to see my wife off on a trip!" After a pause, he added, "And I'm sure your Dad won't let things get too much out of hand."

"Suit yourself," Ginny said, shrugging indifferently.

"I will!" Harry answered, his tone testy.

Twenty minutes later, the couple arrived at the train station, which was busy with muggles of all varieties hurrying to meet their trains.

Harry headed directly to Platform 9 3/4 until Ginny called out, "The ticket says I should take Platform 10 1/2, which should be the barrier directly opposite 9 3/4."

"I didn't know the wizarding world had more than one platform here," Harry said. "I learn something new every day."

"I didn't know myself," Ginny admitted. "Mum and Dad always use the floo, portkey, or apparition to get anywhere."

After looking to make sure that no muggles were watching, they slipped through the barrier opposite the usual one without incident. A bottle-green replica of the Hogwarts Express stood waiting on the tracks, with young women and their families bustling toward the train with their brooms and baggage.

Almost immediately, they spotted Molly and Arthur Weasley waiting on a bench near the barrier.

"There you are!" Molly brayed at Ginny. "I'd almost thought you'd come to your senses and decided to give up on this silly whim of yours."

"No, Mum," Ginny said quietly. "It's what I want to do, and I'm going to do it while I have the chance."

Turning on Harry, the older woman said, "And I'm sure you egged her on to do this. I wouldn't be surprised if you just want to get her out of the house so you can bring other women home!"

After a pause, she noted for the first time that James wasn't with them. "Where's my grandson?" she demanded. "I certainly hope that you weren't so stupid as to leave James with the Malfoys!"

"I don't think it's any of your business whom I chose to mind my son," Harry said, rolling his eyes at her, his voice dripping with frost.

Seeing that the situation was rapidly deteriorating, Ginny told her mother, "If you really must know, he's spending the afternoon with Teddy Lupin and Mrs Tonks!"

"Molly, you promised you'd not bring up uncomfortable topics today," Arthur reminded her in a low voice. "Ginny is going to go whether you like it or not, so let's give her a nice sendoff."

"I know, but I just can't help it when I see something that needs to be corrected!" she shot back. "I feel as if I'm a bad mother if I just let it go."

"Sometimes, being a good mother means recognizing when your children have grown up and are old enough to make their choices -- and mistakes," he told her gently. "I know it's hard, but you've got to let Ginny fly from the nest."

Harry gave Arthur a grateful look as he was successful in defusing Molly in mid-rant, and wondered why he didn't do it more often.

Ginny noticed that the platform was nearly empty. "I'd better get on the train before it leaves without me!" she said, pointing, eager to escape further conflict.

"Owl me every day," Molly told her, bringing her daughter in for a bear hug. "And make sure to eat right and get plenty of rest."

"What your mother said," Arthur said gruffly.

"Don't forget, I'll be bringing James down for a visit," Harry told her. After giving her a brief peck on the cheek, he said, "Take care of yourself!"

Harry did not wait for the train to pull out of the station, but left immediately after Ginny disappeared onto the train. He had better things to do than argue with Molly Weasley all afternoon.

--  
A/N Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it!  
Next chapter yet to be named


	86. Ending the Drought

A/N: This will be another short chapter, but I'm hoping the content will distract you from its brevity.

--

As soon as their plane had arrived safely in Boston, Lucius and Hermione had taken her parents directly to Salem by side along apparition, with Lucius carrying Lucia. Breezy had been there to meet them, whereupon she took Lucia to put down for a nap after Hermione had nursed her. They'd given the Grangers the grand tour of the estate, followed by dinner.

Shortly after dinner had concluded, Hermione's parents excused themselves to leave immediately on their trip. Jane Granger knew that Hermione and Lucius wanted their privacy; she well remembered how it was with her and Kenneth six weeks after Hermione had been born.

"I thought they'd never leave," Lucius murmured to Hermione as they waved goodbye to the Grangers. His arm tightened around her waist, as the older couple got into the waiting cab, which had pulled up to the gate outside his American manor.

Lucius had let down the wards just enough so that the cabbie could see the gates to his property, which were normally invisible to muggles and to be able to use the telephone he kept around for the infrequent times he had use of one.

"It's a good thing they were eager to get started on their holiday," Hermione agreed looking up at him with undisguised lust. "Now, let us get started on ours."

Giving her a wicked grin, he growled, "No time like the present.' After resetting the wards to their previous level, they apparated directly to their bedroom.

"Alone at last," Lucius murmured leaning down to give Hermione a unhurried, searching kiss. Cocking his head to the side in mock confusion, he added. "Whatever shall we do to fill the time?"

"I'm sure _something_ will come up," Hermione deadpanned.

"What a coincidence," Lucius drawled, pushing his body closer to hers so she could feel his erection pressing against her clothed body. "Something _did_ just come up!"

"Imagine that!" Hermione said, grinning wolfishly, sliding a hand down to feel his hardness through his muggle trousers. "I think I have just the place where you can put that."

"I though you might," he replied, chuckling lowly, thoroughly enjoying their banter. After another hungry kiss, he said, "I've missed you so much. Hermione. This has perhaps been the longest six weeks of my life."

"It's seemed like six _years _to me," Hermione agreed. "I can't wait to have you inside me again."

Bending slightly, he picked her up and carried her to the waiting bed. "Your wish is my command."

After depositing her on the bed, he drew his wand to magically disrobe her. As he gazed down at Hermione's naked body splayed wantonly on top of the covers, he felt his trousers become uncomfortably tighter, almost trembling with need. He mentally urged himself to get on with it, as it wouldn't do for him to spend himself prematurely like an immature schoolboy.

He slipped into bed beside her after quickly dispensing of his clothing with a wave of his wand. Neither said a word as he bent to his work. Within seconds, Lucius had Hermione alternately sighing and moaning as he paid worship to her body.

Hermione returned the favor with equal passion and the couple quickly assumed the sixty-nine position, which was one that Lucius especially favoured. Eager to get into her, he brought her to her first orgasm in fairly short order, while simultaneously holding back his own.

No sooner had he felt Hermione's sensitive bud begin to pulsate against his tongue, than she began to thrash and writhe as her climax washed over her in waves. Lucius quickly moved back, as Hermione was prone to clamping her legs together during orgasm and after getting his head caught one time, he'd learned to swiftly pull back once she began to come.

As she was still in the throes of her climax, he quickly entered her and immediately began to move before her orgasm had subsided.

She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist and began to move in rhythm with his thrusts.

"Don't hold back," she urged him. "I won't break, I assure you."

"I don't intend to," he drawled, bowing his head to bite at her neck as he picked up the pace.

Hermione tightly grabbed Lucius' well-muscled backside as she felt a second orgasm rapidly rising within her.

"Harder, Lucius!" she gasped, shoving back hard against him, rotating her hips.

Lucius gladly obliged, moving in increasingly undulating waves, which elicited impassioned moans from Hermione.

Within moments, Lucius felt himself close to completion. As he sensed Hermione was nearly there as well, he gave out feral growls as he pounded into her with sufficient force to make the bed's headboard thump rhythmically against the wall.

Wham! Wham! Wham! WhamWhamWhamWhamWham!

"Lucius! Ohhh, Lucius!" Hermione caterwauled as she came for the second time. "Oh, Merlin, it's sooo good! Good! Good! Ahhhhhhh!"

"Yes!" Lucius crowed as he let go and came as well. "Come for me, Hermione! Let it all out!"

A moment later, they were spent and Lucius collapsed on top of Hermione's sweat-slicked body, with both panting raggedly in aftermath.

After a long interval, Lucius rolled off Hermione to lie contentedly beside her, his damp hair splayed out on the pillow.

"Oh, Lucius, that was wonderful," she purred lazily, stretching languidly. "You don't know how much I missed making love to you."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," he drawled. "I'm actually surprised you didn't jump me before your parents finally left."

"You and me both," she agreed. "And I guarantee that we're going to spend a lot of time in bed while we're here. The book research can wait for a week or so."

"I couldn't agree with you more," he said. "We'll be better able to concentrate on our writing once our itch is thoroughly scratched, anyway."

"There is that," she agreed. "But for now..."

"Why don't we go outside and soak in the hot tub," he suggested. "I seem to remember you like sex in the water."

"Sound like a wonderful idea," she grinned. "But, first, let me check on Lucia and make sure she's all right. I'd not be surprised if he woke her up with all the noise we made."

"Not to worry," Lucius assured her, slipping a robe over his naked body. "I put silencing charms up before we began. But it wouldn't hurt to look in on her."

The couple found Breezy changing Lucia's diaper in the nursery. The elf had to struggle to keep a straight face as the Malfoys entered the room, as she'd heard the headboard banging against the wall and knew exactly what it meant. She was amazed at how often wizards and witches forgot that elves had a broader range of hearing than humans and that the usual silencing charms, while effective with humans, still allowed elves to hear perfectly.

"See?" Lucius said, as they watched their infant daughter sleeping peacefully. "She's perfectly fine."

"All right," Hermione said. "I'm convinced." Turning to Breezy, she said, "We'll be in the outdoor hot tub if you need us."

"Try_ not_ to need us, though, unless it's an real emergency," Lucius warned the little elf. "There are bottles to use if Lucia wakes up hungry."

"Yes, Master Lucius," Breezy acknowledged.

"And tell Noddy to bring refreshments to the hot tub right away," he instructed.

Moments later, the amorous couple shucked their robes as they climbed into the waiting hot tub.

"Now where were we?" Lucius said as he pulled Hermione into his arms.

"I don't think I remember," she said, smiling. "Why don't you show me?"

And he did, repeating it several times that night to make sure Hermione didn't forget.

---  
A/N Thanks everyone, for sticking with this story for the long haul. I truly appreciate it.  
Next chapter, yet to be named.


	87. Harry Moves On

Harry Potter settled easily into life as a single father after Ginny had left for training camp. It was a welcome novelty to have the entire house to himself, with just James and Kreacher for company. Up until now, there had always been people around: the Dursleys, his Gryffindor roommates, and the Weasleys, so Harry felt spoiled to have all this unscheduled time to himself, for a change. It was an exhilarating feeling for the young man to do whatever he wanted each day, without having to worry about what others thought about it.

Despite having his time being his own for the first time in his life, Harry continued with his work at the orphanage. At first a necessary obligation in order to create the right image prior to filing for divorce, Harry found that he enjoyed spending time there. After spending the last several years fighting against Voldemort and his minions, it was refreshing to do something that created something positive, rather than destroyed, for a change.

Narcissa Malfoy had turned out to be a good friend to him, and a valuable source of information for parenting tips. And, unlike Molly Weasley, she waited for Harry to ask before she offered any advice. As the Malfoy matriarch got closer to her own due date, her pleasure in assisting Harry care for James increased.

And as the weeks passed, Harry had found another reason to look forward to his days at the orphanage. Not long after he'd started volunteering there, a couple of other volunteers began as well; among them, a pretty dark haired woman a few years older than Harry with arresting blue eyes. He'd fallen immediately in lust the moment he'd first laid eyes on her.

As Harry was getting James ready for another day at the orphanage a few days after Ginny had left, his mind wandered back to the first time he'd met Arabella Tavington Nott, widow of Tiberius Nott, who had been Theo Nott's older brother.

_"Harry, there's a new volunteer I'd like you to meet," Narcissa told him one morning shortly after he'd arrived. She indicated a raven-haired, blue-eyed woman about five years older his senior. The young woman had a toddler girl with her, who was a miniature copy of her mother._

_Oblivious to Harry's intent gaze, Narcissa continued, "This is Arabella Tavington Nott and her daughter, Samantha. She is Theo Nott's former sister-in-law." Turning to the young woman, she said, "Arabella, this is Harry Potter."_

_"Pleased to meet you," Arabella said in an accent that faintly betrayed her origins in the American South. "Narcissa speaks highly of you." She was just as taken with Harry as he was with her._

_"Glad to meet you, too," Harry responded automatically. Catching the trace of her accent, he asked, "You're American?"_

_"Yes, though I am of British ethnicity through my father. He descends from a British squib, Colonel William Tavington, who fought in America during the Revolutionary War," she explained. "He managed to father a son out of wedlock with an American pureblood women before getting himself killed at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781."_

_"Arabella is also Lucius' distant relative, as William Tavington is also his several-times great-grandfather through his British wife," Narcissa explained._

_"I think I've seen Tavington's portrait at the penthouse when I've visited Hermione," Harry recalled. Looking at Arabella again, he noted, "You've certainly got his hair and eyes, that's for sure."_

_"That's what everyone says," she laughed. "My family has a portrait of him as well, hanging in our home in Charleston."_

_"So, how did you end up married to Theo Nott's older brother," he asked, curious._

_"I was a student at the Salem Institute," she explained. "Tiberius had come over there to take advanced classes in Rune Magic. We married right after my graduation, when we moved to England."_

He had later learned that Tiberius Nott had been murdered by Voldemort shortly before the last battle for refusing to join the Death Eaters. The Notts were an old Slytherin family with decidedly mixed loyalties. Some had become Death Eaters, but others, lke Tiberius, had preferred to take a neutral stance and simply try to mind their own business.

Harry and Arabella had hit it off right away and had spent many hours working together at the orphanage getting to know one another. It was refreshing to have someone treat him simply as Harry -- just Harry -- instead of as The-Boy-Who-Lived. Because she'd grown up in the United States, Arabella was thankfully free of the starry-eyed hero woship that was depressingly common among British witches of his generation. Arabella wanted to know him for himself, not for the status he could confer upon her by association.

Her little girl, Samantha, had taken an immediate shine to Harry, following him around asking all sorts of questions about everything under the sun.

Harry smiled as he thought of the lively little girl with the intense blue eyes; Hermione had no doubt been just like Samantha when she was a little girl, always full of questions that she had demanded answers for.

As he stood in the front of the bathroom mirror shaving after getting James ready, Harry's mind wandered again to Arabella as it had been doing often in the last several days. Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he smiled in anticipation of the fact that he'd be seeing her again in less than an hour.

And today was the day that Harry was determined to ask her out on a date. He'd been thinking about it since two minutes after meeting her, and now that Ginny was gone, he was determined to finally act on his intentions.

Not counting the brief misadventure with Cho Chang, Ginny had been the only real relationship Harry had ever had. Before he committed irrevocably to divorcing her, he was determined to experience a relationship with someone else, as he wanted to make absolutely sure that _she_ was the problem in their relationship and not him.

A few minutes later, Harry was ready to go. After telling Kreacher what to make for dinner, he and James apparated directly to the orphanage.

He'd arrived early, before any of the other volunteers. But no sooner had he started walking to the front door of the orphanage, than Narcissa Malfoy materialized behind him.

"Harry!" she called out, following him to the door. "You're here rather early." Noting the happy expression on his face, she correctly guessed, "Could your early arrival possibly have something to with a particular young lady?"

Narcissa had noticed the complete transformation of Harry's demeanour since he'd met Arabella and had subtly done all she could to encourage the relationship. She'd made sure that the two worked together as much as possible, as well as calling attention to each of their virtues to the other as opportunities present themselves to do so. She believed the mature young woman was a much better match for Harry than the petulant, peevish Ginny Weasley.

"How did you know?" Harry asked as they entered the building.

Laughing softly, Narcissa replied, "Oh, Harry, it's so obvious how you feel about Arabella. Your face simply lights up every time she enters the room, and you've also been quite a bit more cheerful since she started volunteering, even when she's not around. You're like a completely new person around her."

"That obvious, huh," Harry said, chagrined. He'd actually thought his interest in her had gone unnoticed by other orphanage volunteers. Looking shyly at the older woman, he admitted, "I'm trying to build up the courage to ask her for a date. Now that Ginny is gone, I'm ready to move on with my life."

"I'm thrilled for you, Harry," Narcissa said. "And I happen to know that Arabella is interested in you as well." Regarding him with a serious expression, she continued, "But let me offer you a word of advice. I'd wait until your divorce from Ginny is complete before risking being seen with her in public away from the orphanage. You don't want to give the Weasleys any ammunition to use against you in court. It's important that you retain the image of the innocent, injured party."

"I'm getting to the point where I don't care what the Weasleys think of me," Harry grumbled. "I'm ready to live my life without worrying about what others think about it."

"I understand where you're coming from," Narcissa replied patiently. "But you must think of James -- I know that you don't want the Weasleys to get custody of him."

"I didn't think of that," Harry said quietly. "But I really would like a chance to get to know Arabella better, away from the orphanage."

Noting his crestfallen expression, she quickly added, "But I can help you there. I'll simply ask Arabella to dinner at Malfoy Manor and you can join us there. If all turns out well, you can meet her there any time you like, without anyone being the wiser. After your divorce is final, you can take it public then, or remain private; whichever way you prefer. And if it doesn't work out, you won't have to read about it the next day in the _Daily Prophet_."

Giving her a grateful look, Harry told her quietly, "I really appreciate it, Narcissa. You don't have any idea how tired I am of the press writing about every move I make.""Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea," she replied with a small smile.

"Yeah, right," Harry said, grinning. "I suppose you do."

"Does Thursday night suit you?" Narcissa asked.

"Any night is fine," he said. "Whatever night is convenient for Arabella will do."

"It's settled then," she said, smiling. "I'll let you know what date she decides on."

---  
Thanks to all my readers, reviewers, subscribers, and lurkers. I appreciate you all  
Next chapter not yet named.


	88. Making Plans

As Harry sat in the kitchen slowly savouring his lunch the following Thursday, daydreaming about Arabella, Kreacher came bustling in with a tatty looking envelope.

"Master Harry has mail," the old elf announced redundantly, extending it to the young man.

"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said, accepting the envelope from him. Noting the bloated, overly round script in Gryffindor red ink on the envelope, he knew the note was from Ginny. "Could you please watch James while I read the letter?"

"Certainly, Master Harry," Kreacher said, taking the baby out of the room with him.

Turning his attention back to his mail, Harry cracked the seal and began to read:

_Dear Harry,_

_Forgive me for not writing until now, but I've been so busy! I've been too tired to write and I just fall into bed at night after training hard all day._

_I've got great news for you. All the hard training has paid off because I've been chosen for the team!_

_I tried out this morning and I was picked as first reserve seeker. And I'll get to play for at least the first half of the season because the regular seeker is just about to have a baby and she'll be out on maternity for a least a few months!_

_I'm so excited -- this is what I've always dreamed about since I was a little girl. I'll also be making more money in my first year than my Dad ever has for a single year in his entire life._

_I've got to run for now, as I'm going out this afternoon to look for a flat, considering that I'll be with the team from now on. Be a dear and have Kreacher send down most of my casual clothes, if you would._

_We'll be playing the Tornadoes for our season opener and I hope you'll be able to come see me play._

_Ginny_

Harry threw the letter down, resisting the impulse crumple it and throw it away. He was disgusted; not once had Ginny asked about how James was doing, nor did she say that she missed him. The letter was all about her; the hell with him and their son.

If he'd had the slightest misgivings about going through with the divorce before reading her letter, he had none now. He'd waited long enough; it was time to put their divorce in motion. He didn't hate Ginny, but he knew for certain now that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life married to such a self-absorbed woman.

He'd be going to Malfoy Manor that night to have dinner with Arabella and Narcissa. He'd get the name of Lucius' lawyer then and start the procedures to finally end his disaster of a marriage.

He knew he'd be in for a heated custody battle with Molly Weasley, plus he was sure that the Weasleys would try to get their hands on the Potter fortune. Harry wasn't worried, though. _Let them try_, he thought with a grim smile He doubted that a lawyer they could afford to hire could be much of a challenge against any of the lawyers employed by Lucius Malfoy.

Several hours later, Harry arrived by floo at Malfoy Manor, with James in tow. Narcissa had asked him to come about an hour before Arabella was due to arrive, so it would seem as if their meeting was a coincidence; that Arabella had just casually 'dropped by'. He was glad of the time lag, as this would give him a chance to privately discuss his plans to start his divorce with the Malfoy matriarch.

As he stepped through the floo, he found Andromeda Tonks sitting with Narcissa in the library drinking tea.

"Oh, there you are, Harry," Narcissa greeted as he was brushing the soot off him and the baby. "I hope you don't mind that invited Andromeda and Teddy for dinner as well. I thought little Samantha might enjoy having a playmate while you and Arabella have a visit."

"I don't mind at all," Harry said, smiling. "That's great."

Holding out her arms for James, Andromeda said, "Let me have a look at the little man. It's been so long that you've come to visit, Harry, that I hardly remember what he looks like."

"I'm sorry I haven't been by to visit," he apologized sheepishly. "But things have been rather hectic in my life lately."

"I understand," the older woman said. "I know how it is when you have a young baby."

Turning to Narcissa, he said, "I wonder if I might ask you for a bit of advice before Arabella gets here?"

"Of course, Harry," she said graciously. "How can I help you?"

After handing James to Andromeda who took him out of the room to join Teddy in the playroom, he himself beside Narcissa and told her, "I've decided that I'm ready to go ahead with the divorce and the sooner I get it done, the better."

"What prompted that, Harry?" Narcissa asked. "Surely you aren't in a hurry because of Arabella, are you? You two have only just met one another."

"No, it's not Arabella, not really," Harry assured her. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I got an owl from Ginny today telling me that she's been chosen as the Harpies' first reserve seeker."

"Surely that's not surprising," Narcissa pointed out. "She's always been an excellent Quidditch player."

"It's not that she made the team," he explained. "I was expecting that. It's just that when I read what she wrote in the letter, I suddenly realized just how selfish she really is."

"Oh?" Narcissa said. "In what way?"

"She never once asked about James or said that she missed him," Harry told her. "It was all about her and it was like James didn't even exist. In fact, the entire time she's been at the training camp, she's not been in contact, nor has she asked me to bring him down there to visit."

"I see," Narcissa said slowly. Before she could respond, a floo call came in from Lucius.

"Ah, Lucius," Narcissa said as his face became visible in the flames. "You picked just the right time to call. Mr Potter is here and he could probably use your advice right now."

"What can I do for you, Harry?" Lucius asked, wondering why Harry Potter was at Malfoy Manor.

"I was telling Mrs Malfoy that I think it's time for me to go ahead with the divorce," he told the older man. "I got an owl from Ginny this morning telling me that she's been given a permanent spot on the Holyhead Harpies as a reserve seeker and is will be actually playing this year. She's also getting ready to rent a flat near the training camp and has asked me to send her things along." As almost an afterthought, he added, "She's also not been in contact before today's owl since he's been away, nor has she asked to see James."

"Did you save the letter?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, I did," Harry reported. "I thought the lawyer might find it useful."

"Excellent," Lucius said. "I will contact him right away and let him know to be expecting your visit."

After a pause, he continued, "Concerning the letter, however, I was thinking it would also be useful for the _Daily Prophet_. They'll certainly be reporting about your wife being chosen for the team, so I'll direct Norbert Terwilliger to contact you to get your reaction to the news. I'll also suggest to him that he write a related editorial speculating on what this will mean for your marriage. The editorial will predictably evoke an outraged reaction from the Weasleys, which will, in turn, provide your lawyer a plausible reason to show the letter in court to refute their objections. This will, of course, support your claim that she is a disinterested mother, thus a poor choice for getting custody of James."

"I'm impressed," Harry admitted, once again admiring how the Slytherin's mind worked.

"Harry has also met a nice young woman while working at the orphanage," Narcissa told her husband. "Arabella Tavington -- you remember her, don't you? She was married to the older Nott boy and was widowed right before the battle of Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I remember meeting her once or twice," he recalled. "She's a distant cousin of mine."

"I think they'll make a fine couple," Narcissa opined.

"No doubt," Lucius agreed dryly. Addressing Harry, he said, "I don't think I need to remind you that you need to keep your relationship with Arabella discreet until your divorce is final. It's crucial that you don't give the Weasleys anything they can work with to use against you."

"Yes, Mrs Malfoy pretty much told me the same thing," Harry said. "She's kindly offered Malfoy Manor as a meeting place for Arabella and I to get together in private."

"Good," Lucius said. "It seems as if you have it well in hand."

"Is Hermione there?" Harry asked. "I'd like to say hello if I could."

"Unfortunately, no," Lucius told him. "She's at the Salem Institute library today doing research for her books."

"Well, please tell her that I asked about her, then," the young man said, disappointed.

"I have a better idea," Lucius said. "Why don't you and Arabella come over for a visit? Next weekend, perhaps? It would be a good chance for the two of you spend some time together and I know Hermione would be delighted to see you."

"That would be brilliant," Harry said smiling. "Thank you."

"We'll see you next week, then," Lucius said briskly.

--  
Thanks once again to my loyal readers and reviewers  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	89. Molly's Reaction

Several days later, Molly Weasley looked up expectantly from her dinner preparations as her husband came in the door from work.

"Did you bring the paper?" she demanded as soon as he entered the kitchen and gave her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek. "The article about Ginny joining the Harpies was supposed to be in it today."

"Got it right here," he affirmed, pulling it out from under his arm, holding it up. "I almost forgot to get one, but I managed to find a copy just before apparating home."

"Let's see it, then," Molly said, wiping her hands on a dishcloth. Taking the paper from Arthur, she sat at the kitchen table to read, after pointing her wand at the dinner cooking on the stove so that it would automatically serve them once it was done.

Spreading the newspaper out in front of her on the table, she quickly found the expected article:

**Ginevra Weasley Potter Picked to Be 1st Reserve Seeker For Holyhead Harpies**

The article that followed gave essentially the same information that Ginny had already told them in her owl, but Molly wanted to have a copy of the announcement for the scrapbook she intended to start to follow her daughter's Quidditch career. The Weasley matriarch still wasn't keen on her playing professional Quidditch while James was so small, but she knew there was nothing she could do to change her headstrong daughter's mind.

As she finished the article and was about the fold the newspaper and put it away, her eye was caught by another headline:

**Harry Potter Files for Divorce**

"What is it?" Arthur asked, worried when he saw the stricken expression on his wife's face.

Molly could not speak; she made a strangling sound in her throat and gestured to the headline she'd just read.

Taking the paper from his wife, he quickly read the accompanying article:

_In a shocking announcement, Harry Potter told the Daily Prophet that he has filed for divorce from his wife, Ginevra Weasley Potter, who was recently chosen as first reserve seeker for the Holyhead Harpies._

_When asked by this reporter why he chose to end his brief marriage, so soon after a son was born, Mr Potter gave a laconic reply; that while he hoped to remain friends with his soon-to-be former wife, that they'd married too young before getting a good idea of what they wanted from marriage. He added that he wished Miss Weasley much success in her new career as a professional Quidditch player._

_Mr Potter, who recently resigned from the Auror training program in order to be a full time father to his son, James, is also an active volunteer at the orphanage in Hogsmeade...  
_

Arthur read the rest of the article in a hurry, then thrust it away from him. Taking Molly's hands in his own, he said, "Ginny never said a word when we floo called her this morning. Surely, she must know!"

"She did seem pre-occupied when she talked to us," Molly noted, still feeling gobsmacked. "But I intend to find out right now and set things straight." She got up and went to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder.

"Molly, dear," Arther gentle admonished. "Don't you think it would be better if you let them sort things out for themselves?"

"No, I most certainly do not!" she snapped. "I should have put my foot down when she insisted on attending the Harpies' training camp. She's simply too young to understand what she'll be giving up if she allows Harry to divorce her."

"If you'd not been so hell-bent on having them get married so soon after Ginny's graduation, and let them both wait a few years to sow their wild oats, this might not have happened," he told her.

"We got married right after school," the flame haired witch pointed out. "It worked out well for us."

"But we'd known each other since we were practically babies," he said. "Neither of us had the unfortunate muggle childhood that Harry had. Nor was either of us cast as the saviour of the wizarding world from the time we were a year old." After a pause, he concluded, "And you and I wanted the same things out of life. Ginny and Harry obviously do not."

"Be that as it may, I don't think that they tried hard enough to make their marriage work," she told him. "Ginny should not give up without a fight."

Arthur exhaled a loud, gusty sigh, knowing there was no reasoning with Molly once she had her mind made up. Several years of marriage had taught him that he was better off if he just walked away and stopped wasting his breath on trying to change her mind.

"All right, Molly, I see you're going to do whatever you want, anyway, so I'm going to go over to the joke shop to see how George is getting along," he said, washing his hands of the entire matter. "I'll have dinner with him."

No sooner had Arthur left the house to apparate to Diagon Alley than Molly threw the floo powder to call Ginny. She didn't have long to wait, as her daughter's face appeared in the flames less than a minute later.

"Mum?" Ginny said with a touch of impatience in her voice. "What is it? I'm kind of busy right now and..."

"Never mind that," Molly said. "I need to talk to you right away. It would be best if you stepped through so we can talk privately."

"Oh, all right," Ginny grumbled. A moment later, she stepped through the floo into the Burrow. "Can you make it quick? I was about to go out."

"None of your cheek, young lady," Molly huffed, thoroughly put off by her daughter's attitude. Picking up the newspaper and waving it under her daughter's nose, she demanded, "Have you read this?" Not waiting for her reply, she continued, "Did you know that Harry has filed for divorce?"

Looking distinctly uncomfortable, she said, "Yes, Mum, I already know. He owled me the papers yesterday."

"Why didn't you tell me?" her mother demanded. "I can't believe that you're so calm about all of this."

"I didn't tell you because Harry and I want to sort this out for ourselves," the younger witch explained. "And it's all for the best, really. We shouldn't have been in such a hurry to get married so soon after my graduation. He and I have realized that we really don't have all that much in common, after all, and we both want different things out of life."

"Nonsense," Molly insisted. "You simply need to work harder to save your marriage. You shouldn't have gone off to join the Harpies, you know. Just think of all you'll lose if you let Harry divorce you!"

"His money, you mean?" Ginny asked. "Well, I don't need him or his money any more. I'll be making more money as a Harpie in my first year than Dad ever did in a single year. I can support myself very nicely, thank you very much."

"What about James?" Her mother asked. "Have you thought about who will be raising him?"

"Harry is perfectly capable of raising James," Ginny told her.

"Have you considered the company Harry has been keeping lately?" Molly reminded her. "Do you want Lucius Malfoy to be one of your son's role models? Do you want your son to end up being sorted into Slytherin?"

"Mum, Harry won't let anything bad happen to James," Ginny insisted.

"You need to hire a lawyer, just the same, to look after your interests," her mother said. "Did you happen to note the name of Harry's lawyer, by any chance?"

"It was Duncan Rosier, I think," Ginny reported, somewhat uncertain.

"Rosier!" Molly spat. "That's Lucius Malfoy's lawyer. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Malfoy put Harry up to divorcing you. Mark my words, he's up to no good. He'll have a great deal more influence in the wizarding world if he gains control of Harry's life. He already owns Hermione; now he wants Harry, too. Nothing good can come of this, I assure you."

Ginny thought her mother was a bit paranoid and blowing things out of proportion, but knew it was pointless to voice her opinion, as it would only serve to wind her mother up even more. And Ginny had better things to do that afternoon than listen to her mother rant and rave.

"All right, Mum, I'll hire a lawyer to represent me," Ginny conceded grudgingly, hoping this would satisfy her mother.

"I'll have your father find a reputable lawyer for you and set up an appointment for you as soon as possible," Molly decided. "I'll owl you and let you know the date."

"That's fine, Mum," Ginny said in a placating tone, eager to leave. Grabbing some floo powder and turning back to the fireplace, she said, "I'll see you soon." Not waiting for her mother to respond, she threw the powder and was gone in a cloud of green smoke.

--  
Thanks to all my readers, old and new. This story wouldn't have ended up this long without you.  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	90. A Surprise and a Shock

"So, what do you want to do, today?" Hermione asked Lucius at the breakfast table early on Saturday morning. "Now that I've completed the outline for the first book and have nearly completed the first chapter, I think I'd like to take the weekend off to clear my head a bit."

"Actually, I have a bit of a surprise for you," Lucius drawled, giving her a lazy smile. "You've been working rather hard lately and I thought you deserved a change of pace."

"A surprise?" Hermione asked eagerly. "What is it?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise anymore if I told you," Lucius told her. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Now you've got me wondering what you have up your sleeve," Hermione said, frowning in consternation.

"Eat your breakfast," Lucius urged her with an enigmatic smile "The surprise will be happening soon."

Lucius didn't say another word about it while they finished their breakfast, nor when Hermione fed Lucia and put her down for a nap.

Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. "Lucius, what is it?" she asked after she'd finished dressing.

"Come to the library," he said mysteriously. "It's about time, I think."

"So, where is it?" Hermione asked as she looked all around the library. "I don't see anything different in here."

"It's not a what, it's a who," Lucius said, indicating the fireplace, which lit up, almost as if on cue, with an incoming floo.

A moment later, Harry stepped through, with baby James.

"Hello, Hermione," he said with a sheepish grin. "I thought I'd bring James and come stay with you for a few days."

"Oh, Harry, It's marvellous to see you!" Hermione said, enthused. "I've missed you so much. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Lucius swore me to secrecy," he told her, grinning. "He didn't want to distract you from your writing, so he decided to make it a surprise."

"Oh, let me hold James," she said eagerly. "He's grown so much since I last saw him. I hardly recognized him!"

"They do grow quickly at this age," Lucius observed, taking James from Harry to give to Hermione. "Before you know it, we'll be sending our babies to Hogwarts."

As Lucius spoke, the fireplace glowed again, revealing a dark haired young woman with a toddler girl stepping out from the smoke.

"Allow me to introduce my distant cousin, Arabella Tavington Nott," Lucius said as the young woman gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek as she took his hand.

"I'm glad to meet you," Hermione said, smiling at Harry's obvious happiness.

"Likewise," Arabella said. "Harry's told me so much about you."

"All good, I hope," Hermione replied. Turning to Harry, she said, "Harry! I had no idea you were seeing someone! How long has this been going on?"

"Not too long," Harry grinned. "I've had to keep this secret because of my divorce, but Arabella and I met working at the orphanage a couple of weeks ago. We've not been able to go out in public together yet, so we've been meeting at Malfoy Manor. Lucius invited us to visit for a few days, so we could finally go out on a proper date without worrying about the _Daily Prophet_ taking photos of us."

Leaning down to acknowledge Samantha, who had been tugging on Harry's arm the entire time, he said, "And this is Arabella's beautiful daughter, Samantha."

"Isn't she adorable?" Hermione told the other woman. "I can't wait for my little girl, Lucia , to be that age."

"She'll be that age before you know it," Arabella told her. "I'd love to see Lucia."

"It's likely she'll need to be changed soon, so you can see her then," Hermione said briskly. Turning to Harry, she asked, "Would you like to put James down for a nap? I'll have Breezy conjure up another crib for him. And a cot for Samantha, if she's needing a nap."

"That would be great, thanks," Harry replied.

After Breezy had whisked away the children and while the adults were enjoying refreshments, Hermione said to Arabella, "You're American! How did you end up living in England and how are you related to Lucius?"

"I met my late husband when we both attended the Salem Institute and we moved to England after we graduated," Arabella explained. "And Lucius and I are half-cousins several times removed through William Tavington who spent time in America during the Revolution."

"Oh, I talk to his portrait all the time at our penthouse in London," Hermione exclaimed. "He's quite charming."

"Family legend has it that he was quite the ladies' man," Arabella confided. "He charmed women wherever he went."

"I believe it!" Hermione laughed. "I've half fallen in love from just his portrait alone!"

"You never told me that!" Lucius interjected. "I don't know whether or not I should be jealous."

"Not at all, love," Hermione assured him, patting his hand. "I'm infatuated with him simply because he looks like a dark haired replica of you. And I think you've inherited more than just a little of his way with women."

"So, how is the writing going, Hermione?" Harry asked, changing the subject. "Have you finished any of the books yet?"

"Not quite yet, Harry," Hermione said with a chuckle. "I've finished my research and outline for the first book, but I've only just finished filling out the first chapter. I'm not writing under a deadline, so I want to take the time to get it just right."

"Well, anything you'll write will be loads better than what we had," Harry told her. "I think a monkey could have written a better Muggle Studies text than the one we were using."

"Too right you are," Hermione agreed. "To this day, I'm surprised why Dumbledore let that book be used in the classroom. I remember how frustrated Professor Burbage was being required to use that rubbish in her classroom."

"For all his idealistic prattle about valuing the muggle world, Dumbledore was really no different than most purebloods," Lucius put in. "He had no real intention of encouraging interest in the muggle world, as excessive familiarity would encourage mixing between the two populations which would, in turn, increase the risk of exposing the magical world to the general muggle population."

"Then why would he even bother with having a Muggle Studies class at all, then, if he wasn't going to have accurate information taught?" Hermione askied.

"It's very simple," Lucius replied. "He had an image to maintain; that of a kindly, benign old man who was open minded and tolerant unlike the eeeeevil bigoted and paranoid Slytherins who 'needlessly' worried about maintaining the secrecy of our world. By having a Muggle Studies class, he gained the support of muggleborn students and their parents. At the same time, those raised in the wizarding world were subtly discouraged from mixing too closely with muggles by being fed disinformation that would make sure that they wouldn't fit in if they ever tried."

"That sounds very Slytherin," Hermione commented.

"He was a wily old fox," Lucius agreed. "I have to admit I had a grudging respect for how devious he could truly be."

"Hermione's books sound as if they'll be a vast improvement," Arabella ventured, having previously been told by Harry of Hermione's ambitious seven book project

"Quite right," Lucius agreed. "A revamped Muggle Studies program combined with my Wizard Culture course for incoming muggleborn students should do much better in helping muggleborns and those halfbloods raised in the muggle world to fit into wizarding society. At the same time, it will help purebloods to be more receptive to those new to our world."

"So, Harry, how did Ginny react when she found out you were seeking a divorce?" Hermione asked, moving on to a new subject. "Is she going to fight you for custody of James?"

"Surprisingly well, actually," Harry said. "All she cares about is playing Quidditch and now that she'll be making good money doing that, she's happy to let me go without a fight. And she hasn't asked about James at all since she left for training camp, nor asked me to bring him down for a visit. She has no interest in getting custody of James, though I expect that Molly will make her do it."

"Do you think they could gain custody?" Hermione asked, concerned. "You do know that Mrs Weasley has been voted "Mother of the Year" by _Witch Weekly_ several times over?"

"My lawyer doesn't think so," Harry told her. "The fact that I quit working to raise James full time, plus that I'm volunteering at the orphanage will help when I go to court." With a rueful smile, he added, "And considering that I'm "The Boy Who Lived" won't hurt things at all, either."

"I wouldn't worry about Molly Weasley," Lucius said. "The court generally confines judgment of parental fitness to the _parents_ only. Harry would have to be a complete tosser before they'd consider giving custody to a grandparent." Taking a sip of his tea, he added, "The fact that Ginevra has made no attempt to see her son since leaving for training camp will seriously hamper her efforts to gain custody if she is foolish enough to try it."

"I hope you're right," Harry said, sighing heavily. "I'm ready for this to be over and done with, so I can get on with my life and Arabella and I can have a normal relationship without having to sneak around."

At that moment, Noddy came in with the day's mail, handing it to Lucius. The _Daily Prophet_ was on top, with several envelopes underneath.

Holding the folded paper up, he asked Harry, "Anything interesting the paper today?"

"I didn't get a chance to read it yet," Harry told him. "I was so busy getting James ready to come here than I never got around to looking at it."

"I haven't read it today, either," Arabella said offhandedly. "I don't read it all that often, anyway."

"Well, let me take a quick look at the headlines and see if there's anything worth reading," Lucius said as he unfolded it. Within seconds, the normally unflappable pureblood's eyes took on a noticeable bulge, followed by a decidedly lewd grin.

"I always knew she was the school broom, but when I said that meant everybody gets to ride her, I wasn't aware that it was literally _everybody_," the blond wizard muttered under his breath.

"What is it, Lucius?" Hermione asked, with both Harry and Arabella looking on in curious interest.

After a long moment, after finally tearing his eyes away from the newspaper in front of him, he said to Harry, "Well, it seems as if you can add adultery to maternal indifference when you go to court. She doesn't have a prayer of gaining custody now."

Taking the newspaper from Lucius, Harry's jaw dropped open in stunned shock when he saw the picture and accompanying article that Lucius indicated to him. On the newspaper's front page was a picture of Ginny and one of her Harpie team mates locked in a passionate kiss, with their hands roaming each other's bodies. The headline below read:

_**Ginevra Weasley Potter ****  
With Her Luscious Lesbian Lover  
Elladora Entwhistle**_

"Were you aware of your wife's.._.broad_...sexual proclivities, Mr Potter?" Lucius inquired, one eyebrow raised, as Harry continued to sit there completely gobsmacked.

"Oh, shite!" Harry finally muttered, quickly leaving the room in search of the loo.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," Lucius observes dryly.

---  
Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers. I appreciate your continuing interest.  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	91. Advice and Speculation

After seeing the picture and accompanying article in the paper about Ginny, Molly Weasley was stunned into speechlessness for one of the few times in her life.

Arthur regarded his wife carefully, waiting for inevitable blowup. In all the years of their marriage, he'd not seen her rendered speechless but a handful of times and the end results of such incidents never boded well for those involved.

He didn't have long to wait for her reaction.

"Lucius Malfoy!" Molly thundered. "He did this!"

"Lucius Malfoy?" Arthur repeated, raising one eyebrow in scepticism.

"Yes!" Molly exclaimed. "Harry is using his lawyer, which Malfoy no doubt arranged. I'm sure the lawyer is engaging in dirty tricks to make sure Harry comes out on top in the divorce, just like how he kept Malfoy from going to Azkaban like he should have. He probably hired a photographer to follow Ginny around!"

Arthur rolled his eyes heavenward. "I wouldn't put it past Malfoy to hire someone to follow Ginny around taking pictures," he conceded. "But he's been in America for several weeks, so I doubt if it's him." Sighing loudly, he added, "And Ginny did what she did on her own. There's no way they could have staged a picture like that."

"Ginny wouldn't carry on like that with a..._woman_!" Molly insisted. "She had plenty of boyfriends in school!"

"I'm just as puzzled by this as you are," Arthur admitted wearily. "But it's not something that we should air in public or in the courtroom. Nor is it something to argue about with the likes of Lucius Malfoy. You don't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing you upset again."

"I can't just let this go by not calling him on it," Molly insisted in frustration.

"Yes, you can," Arthur told her gently, but firmly. "And you will. Ginny and Harry have enough to deal with in getting a divorce; they don't need any added drama."

"Malfoy started it," Molly pointed out. "And I intend to finish it."

"That may well be," Arthur conceded. "But it isn't your fight. It's up to Ginny and Harry to handle things now. All you can do is be there for Ginny if she needs to talk or if she needs a shoulder to cry on." Smiling down at her, he said, "You've been a big comfort to everyone in the family for years. It's what you do best."

"I just feel so helpless," she said. "It's hard for me to just stand by when I see a problem that needs fixing."

"Sometimes the best help is simply minding your own business," Arthur told her quietly. "Let Ginny know that you'll be there for her, then step back. I can assure you that she'll respect you for that."

"I'm going to go down to her new flat right away to see what this is all about," Molly decided. "I need to find out why she's acting is such a shameful manner. We didn't raise her to have sex with other women! It's disgusting and unnatural."

Arthur heaved a loud, gusty sigh of frustration. "Albus was gay," he said quietly. "Did you know that? Do you think he was disgusting?"

"Surely not," Molly said in disbelief. "He simply never found the right woman."

"Oh, Molly, you can be so naive at times," Arthur said rolling his eyes. Changing the subject, he suggested, "Why don't you just sit down and write Ginny a letter inviting her to dinner on Sunday and send it by owl. If she's ready to talk, she'll show up. If not, then you'll just have to wait until she's ready."

"I'll do it," she conceded, grumbling. "But I won't say that I like it."

"That's my girl," Arthur said, giving her an encouraging smile as he patted her on the arm. "It will work out all right, you'll see."

"I hope you're right," she said, still grumbling. "It goes against my better instincts to just sit here and do nothing."

Pointing his wand at the desk in the corner, Arthur _accio'd_ a quill and parchment for his wife. "Here, why don't you write her a note inviting her to dinner now. You'll feel better once you do it." After a pause, he added, "You could invite her...ah, err...friend as well. That might cause Ginny to confide in you."

"No!" Molly exclaimed. "I'll back off from confronting Lucius Malfoy and I'll give Ginny some space, but I draw the line there."

"All right, Molly," Arthur conceded. "But if there's really something between the two of them, you'll have to get over it and meet her some time."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Molly said firmly. "And not a moment before."

---

"I think I'd better go see if Harry is all right," Arabella said to Lucius and Hermione after Harry had not returned after a rather long interval.

"Go ahead," Hermione acknowledged with an encouraging smile. "We'll be right here."

No sooner had Arabella left the room than Lucius turned to Hermione and observed, "You don't seem to be shocked about Ginevra's taste in lovers."

"I'm not," she admitted slowly. "I've always suspected she was bisexual, even when we were in school."

"Oh?" Lucius quirked one eyebrow up in surprise, then leaned forward. "Do tell."

"Well, I can't quite put a finger on it, but there were a few times when I'd go into the Gryffindor girl's bathroom and I'd find her there with another girl and they'd both hurry out as soon as I came in, acting as if they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't," Hermione explained. "I never actually discovered her doing anything, mind you, but after having found her like this several times, I began to wonder."

Silent for a long moment, she added, "And there was the way she sometimes looked at other girls; like how most other girls looked at the blokes we fancied. It was never anything concrete or definitive, but just a general impression I got from her."

"I...see," Lucius said, smirking audibly.

"It's not funny!" she admonished, but could not help but allow a few giggles to escape.

"Oh, yes it is," Lucius said, nearly shaking with barely suppressed laughter. "I can just see Molly Weasley's face now. I'll bet she's _purple_ with rage."

Collecting himself, now serious once more, Lucius asked, "Why didn't you share your suspicions with Mr Potter when you know he was getting serious about her? You could have saved him a lot of trouble."

"You know how it is," Hermione shrugged. "Love is blind and Harry wouldn't have listened to me. It really wasn't any of my business, anyway and I didn't want to risk losing his friendship over something I wasn't entirely sure of."

"I suppose you're right," Lucius conceded.

"And then there was the little matter of being on the run from Voldemort," she reminded him. "We had more important things to worry about at the time than the precise nature of Ginny's sexual preferences."

Giving Lucius a hard look, Hermione asked quietly, "Did you have anything to do with this picture and article?"

"Not directly, no," the blond wizard told her. "Before we left, I told Rosier to do whatever was necessary to ensure a favourable outcome for Mr Potter's divorce. I would imagine he hired someone to follow Mrs Potter around on the odd chance she'd do something incriminating." Chuckling again, he added, "I'll certainly have to send a Rosier a fat bonus check. I couldn't have planned a better outcome myself."

"Some people might consider that unethical," Hermione pointed out.

"Hardly," Lucius said. "No one forced her to act in an extremely indiscreet manner in public. All's fair in love and war, my dear. If she wanted to protect her reputation in light of a coming divorce hearing, she should have been more circumspect."

"I have to wonder whether she did this on purpose," Hermione considered. "Ginny's never been able to stand up directly to her mother's meddling. She's always resorted to passive-aggressive means to get her points across to her mother. I'd not be surprised if she did this quite purposely to get her mother to butt out of her business."

"You know her better than I do," Lucius replied, shrugging. "If this is so, then it's too bad she chose to publicly embarrass Mr Potter in an effort to make a point to her mother."

"Ginny has never been one to consider the consequences of her actions or to think ahead," Hermione told him.

"A typical Gryffindor, then," Lucius said, sneering.

Hermione opened her voice to protest, but then shut it again. She remembered many of her housemates acting precisely in this fashion.

"Poor Harry," she said, realizing that he and Arabella had not yet returned. "He must be devastated."

"I'm surprised he didn't know," Lucius said. "Surely, he had _some_ inkling."

"People see what they want to see," Hermione pointed out. "I know I did with Ron." Looking anxiously toward the door, she said, "I wonder what's keeping Harry? Maybe I should go check on him."

"I think not," Lucius said firmly. "Let Arabella tend to him for now." After a moment, he called, "Breezy!"

The big-eyed elf appeared immediately. "Master Lucius called Breezy?"

"Yes. Please check to see where our guests are," he told her. "And don't disturb them while doing so."

"Yes, Master," she said, disapparating with a loud crack.

A moment later, Breezy reappeared. "Master Lucius' guests are in the guest bedroom."

After the elf had resumed her duties, Lucius said, "There, you see? Arabella is comforting Harry in the best way a woman can comfort a man." Giving her a wicked grin, he drawled, "I think I could do with a bit of comforting just now, myself."

"A fine idea," Hermione murmured, as he followed him out of the room.

---  
Thanks once again to the loyal readers and reviewers of this story. Thanks for sticking with me!  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	92. Free at Last

Three days later, Harry and James returned to England, as Harry's divorce was to be finalized later that week. Arabella remained in the United States, having decided that it would be a good time for her to visit her Tavington relatives in Charleston, SC. Though she wished she could go to court with Harry to provide him with moral support, Lucius assured her that remaining in America until it was all over was the best thing she could do to help him. Once it was all over and done with, she and Harry could bring their relationships out into the open, after a reasonable interval.

At he sat at the dinner table at Grimmauld Place that evening, able to sit and think for the first time in several days, he thought about what Hermione had told him concerning her thoughts on Ginny's behaviour, which had helped him to put it all into perspective.

_"Harry, you do realize that Ginny might have known that she was being followed and decided to give the photographer a real eyeful," Hermione pointed out._

_"Why would she want to embarrass me in public like that?" he asked, completely confused. "I know we're getting a divorce and all, but I'd thought we'd come to an understanding and pretty much settled things between ourselves."_

_"I don't think it was about you at all, Harry," she said. "She might have done this as a message to her mother; as a way of telling her to stop meddling into her business and telling her how to run her life."_

_"Ginny always did have a problem with being direct with her mother," he conceded. "She always used to complain about how her mother was trying to run her life, but she could never get up the courage to tell her to just sod off and leave her in peace." Frowning, he continued, "But I wish she hadn't chosen such a public way of making her point. She never stops to think of how her actions will affect other people."_

_"That's part of the reason why you're divorcing her, Harry," Hermione gently reminded him. "She's never been able to think before she acted."_

_"And she's never put her relationship with me first," he said. Heaving a gusty sigh, he added, "But it still hurts, even though I'm ready to move on and know it's all for the best."_

_"It takes time," Hermione agreed, patting his hand in support. "But I'm sure that Arabella will be a great help in making that time pass quickly."_

_"Too right you are," Harry said, smiling broadly this time._

As Harry continued to mentally review his weekend in Massachusetts, Kreacher came in with a thick stack of owl messages, with a fair number of them having the telltale red envelopes of Howlers.

"Master has quite a bit of mail," the elf said, unnecessarily.

"Let me see the Howlers first," Harry decided. "I might as well get those over with."

"They are all from Mistress Weasley," Kreacher told him. "She tried to call by floo when you were away, too, and called Kreacher some very ugly names when I said you were not available."

"You didn't tell her where I went, did you?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"No, Master Harry," the elderly elf assured him. "Kreacher would never do that. You told me never to tell that woman any of your business and I have not."

The first Howler had begun to emit smoke, so Harry waved his wand at it, muttering "_Reducto Sonorus_".

The Howler burst open a moment later and Molly's greatly reduced and barely audible voice began:

_"Harry Potter! How dare you hire someone to follow Ginny around taking pictures_...."

Pointing his wand at the Howler again, he reduced it to a pile of ashes, not wanting to hear the rest of the predictable tirade. He pointed his wand another time, similarly disposing of the rest of the waiting Howlers.

"No need to read those," he muttered, grinning wolfishly at the pile of ashes in front of him.

Moving on to the next stack of envelopes, he picked up the one on top. Ripping it open, he read:

_Dear Mr Potter_

_Witch Weekly would like to interview you about your post-divorce plans..._

Harry tossed it to the side, then reached for another envelope:

_Dear Harry,_

_I don't know if you remember me, but I was two years ahead of you in Hogwarts in Hufflepuff._

_Anyway, I think you're quite sexy and now that you'll be a free man again, I thought you might like to visit my flat and.._.

Harry stopped reading as a picture fell out of the envelope, featuring a very buxom and very naked blond gazing up provocatively at him as she masturbated with widely spread legs.

He stared in slack-jawed wonder at the animated photo for a few long moments, then tossed this letter onto the reject pile, amazed at the nerve of some people.

After reading the next one and finding yet another proposition, he riffled through the rest of the stack, seeing that it was more of the same: interview requests and sexual propositions. With a rueful expression, he thought that not if for Arabella, he might have considered responding to one of the less tawdry propositions.

Pushing the rest of the messages away to deal with at another time, Harry turned his attention to James. After giving him a bottle, he gave him a bath, then sat with him for awhile in the rocking chair before putting him down for the night.

A few hours later, after writing Arabella a long letter, Harry turned in for the night, falling asleep almost immediately.

---

In the end, Harry's divorce turned out to be a simple and straightforward affair. Three days after returning home from Massachusetts, Harry arrived early at the Ministry of Magic, flooing directly to the Vital Statistics floor, where marriages, bondings, and divorces were conducted. This floor also contained the record keeping offices relating to these and was also where births and deaths were recorded.

His lawyer, Duncan Rosier, met him at the floo, giving him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Harry," Rosier said. "This will all be over shortly. You'll soon be going home as a free man."

"It can't happen soon enough," Harry told him as they walked down the corridor to the courtroom.

To Harry's dismay, no sooner had they turned the corner leading to the courtroom than multiple flash bulbs began going off, creating a blinding glare. He was quickly surrounded by reporters, all shouting questions in a cacophonous jumble.

_"Mr Potter! Did you know that your wife was a lesbian?"_

_"Mr Potter! Did you drive your wife into the arms of a woman?"_

_"Mr Potter! Did you and your wife have threesomes with other women?"_

_"Mr Potter! Have you already picked out another wife yet?"_

Seeing that Harry was gobsmacked, Duncan Rosier stepped forward and said, "Mr Potter isn't answering any questions at the present time. Please stand aside so that we may enter the courtroom!"

After the two had run the gauntlet of reporters and curious busybodies, they quickly entered the courtroom, where Rosier directed Harry to an anteroom to wait for the hearing to begin.

No sooner had they sat down than they heard a loud commotion out in the hall. Turning to Harry, Rosier, said, "Wait here. Let me handle this."

As the lawyer stepped out into the hall, he was confronted by Molly Weasley, who was loudly complaining to the court officer who barred her way into the courtroom. Ginny stood half-hidden behind her, looking as if she wanted to sink through the floor.

"Let me by!" she bellowed. "My daughter is getting divorced today and I'm going in there to give her moral support!"

"I'm sorry, but this is going to be a closed session," the court officer explained in a bored tone of voice. "Only the divorcing couple and their legal representatives will be allowed inside."

"That's nonsense!" she exclaimed, eyes narrowed, hands on hips. "Step aside, young man!" She was oblivious to the presence of reporters hovering nearby, Quick-Quote Quills rapidly taking down her words and the photographers feverishly snapping photos of the confrontation.

"Allow me," Rosier said to the harried court officer. "Mrs Weasley," he addressed the witch in an oily tone as he extended his hand to her. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Duncan Rosier, Mr Potter's lawyer."

Molly Weasley looked at the well dressed wizard as if she'd suddenly caught a whiff of rotting garbage.

After seeing that the Weasley matriarch wasn't about to shake his hand, he continued, "Your daughter's lawyer and I agreed that this would be a closed session, as our clients wish to conduct their business quickly and quietly."

"That's right, Mrs Weasley," Barnaby Bumbershoot said coming up the corridor accompanied by Arthur Weasley. Bumbershoot, an old friend of the family, had been hired to represent Ginny in court. "I was just explaining it to Arthur here."

"Come on, Molly," Arthur said. "Why don't we go across the hall and sit in the waiting room until it's all over."

Ginny gave her father a grateful look as she watched him lead her mother away, then quietly accompanied her lawyer into the courtroom.

After all the heartache and recriminations, the divorce itself was anticlimactic. To Harry's surprise, Ginny agreed to all his conditions, with neither of them saying much during the procedure. Their divorce was granted within five minutes, without fuss or fanfare. Harry and Ginny were now free to go their separate ways and resume the threads of their lives.

"Ginny!" Harry called out as the group moved to leave the courtroom. After she turned and waited for him, he said quietly, "I just want to thank you for being so reasonable."

"I don't hate you, Harry," she told him. "I'll always have a place in my heart for you." Taking a deep breath, she added, "And I didn't see any use in prolonging this. We just made a mistake by getting married, and I didn't want to make it any worse."

"It wasn't a mistake," Harry said. "You gave me James and I'll always love you for that."

"Take care of yourself, Harry," she said with a sad smile, as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "Take care of James."

"You can be sure of that," Harry told her emphatically. "Good luck with your Quidditch career."

Ginny gave him one final smile, then turned and left without another word.

Harry was free at last.

---  
Thanks to everyone who has taken interest in this story. I couldn't have made it this far without you!  
Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	93. Lucius Rushes Home

About a week later, Lucius and Hermione returned to Salem late one night after a night on the town. They'd spent the evening in New York City, first having dinner, then seeing Verdi's Aida at the Metropolitan Opera. Lucius had surprised Hermione with the opera tickets, as a way to celebrate the completion of her first book. Lucius was also near completion with his book about his proposed changes in early wizarding education and orientation of muggleborns into the wizarding world, so he'd thought it a perfect time for a bit of celebration.

After they'd apparated back to their Massachusetts home, Hermione yawned loudly as she headed to the stairs on the way to their bedroom. "I'm completely knackered," she said as she shed clothing along the way. "I had a wonderful time, but all I want to do now is go to sleep."

"That's all you want to do?" Lucius drawled suggestively, his clothes following Hermione's onto the floor, leading a path to the bedroom. Neither of them worried about the mess as they knew that one of the elves would attend to their clothing and they'd find them freshly washed and pressed by morning.

"Oh, Lucius, you're incorrigible!" Hermione giggled as he grabbed her at the top of the stairs, then spun her around to give her a hard kiss as he leaned her back against the wall, both now completely naked.

"I do try," he admitted with a wry smile, now intent on steering her to the bedroom.

Forgetting her fatigue, Hermione responded eagerly to him, never having been able to resist his seductions.

Lucius growled in anticipation as he scooped Hermione up into his arms and deposited her on the bed, eager to possess her yet again.

But as he was looming over her, about to mount her and get down to business, a loud knock came at the door.

"Not now!" Lucius thundered at whatever hapless elf stood on the other side of the door. "I'm busy!"

"Perhaps you'd better see what it is," Hermione told him reluctantly "Something might be wrong with Lucia."

Realizing she was right, he exhaled an frustrated sigh, then moved to lie down beside Hermione, drawing the covers over them. "Come in!" he barked impatiently.

Noddy entered the room hesitantly, cowering in the corner after closing the door behind him.

"What is it, Noddy?" Lucius demanded, displeased with the nervous elf.

"Begging Master's pardon," the elf stammered, wishing to be anywhere else than in the Master's bedroom at the moment. "But Mistress Andromeda Tonks is in the library floo wanting to talk to Master Lucius immediately. She says it's very important and cannot wait until later."

His anger immediately dissipating, Lucius said, "Have the call transferred in here," he said, rising to throw a robe over his naked body. Calculating the time distance, he knew it was not quite sunrise back in England, and knew that his sister in law wouldn't be calling at this time, unless something was very wrong.

A moment later, his sister in law's face appeared in the flames.

"Lucius?" she said, looking nervously around the room for him.

"I'm here, Andromeda," he said, his voiced strained with worry, as he moved to stand directly in front of the fireplace. "What's wrong?"

"It's Narcissa," she said, without preamble. "She didn't feel well all of yesterday, and she hasn't slept much tonight. I've tried to get her to go to St Mungo's to be checked out, to make sure the baby is all right, but she won't go, telling me that she's fine. She'd probably not be wanting me to call you about this, but I really think you need to come home and get her to go to see the healer. I'm afraid that she might end up having a miscarriage."

"I'm on my way," Lucius said, his lips pressed together tightly as he threw off his robe, oblivious to his sister in law seeing him stark naked.

Averting her eyes, Andromeda said, "I'll be waiting for you in the library and I'll have tea ready when you get here."

"I'll be along very shortly," Lucius said, as he hurriedly began to dress.

After Andromeda had faded from the fireplace, Hermione said resolutely, "I'm going with you. We were about to come home in a few days, anyway."

"You should sleep for a few hours first," he told her. "No need to come right away. And it would be better for Lucia if you came back at a decent hour."

"You're right, of course," Hermione conceded. "And I am knackered."

Now completely dressed, he leaned over to give her a kiss. "Get some rest and I'll see you later on today."

"Give Narcissa my best," Hermione said, giving him a reassuring hug.

"I will," he said, then headed straight to the door to go use the international floo in the library fireplace. He made a brief stop in Lucia's room to give his baby daughter a feather light kiss on the top of her head before heading downstairs.

A few moments later, he stepped through the floo into Malfoy Manor, where Andromeda sat waiting for him.

"There you are," Andromeda said calmly. "Have some tea. Narcissa finally fell asleep a short time ago, and maybe we should let her sleep awhile before taking her to the healer. I've told the house elves to notify me if she awakens."

Lucius sat reluctantly, accepting a cup of tea from his sister in law. "How long has she been feeling ill?" he asked.

"Since yesterday morning," the witch reported. "She's been having periodic stomach pains, nausea, and dizziness, along with insomnia."

"You should have called me sooner," he told her, irritated.

"You're right," she said, helplessly. "But I believed Narcissa at first, when she explained it all away as being merely indigestion."

"Narcissa never has been one to complain about her health," Lucius conceded, exhaling loudly.

"It's the way we were brought up," Andromeda said with a sigh. "I can just hear my mother now saying, 'well bred witches do not complain about their aches and pains'."

"Have you called Draco yet?" Lucius demanded.

"No, I thought it best to call you first," she said. "And I didn't want to worry him needlessly."

At that moment, a female houe elf entered the room. "Mistress Narcissa is awake," the elf announced. "She is asking for Mistress Andromeda."

Lucius jumped up, swept out of the room without a word, with Andromeda at his heels.

He found his wife a moment later sitting by the side of the bed, clutching at her stomach, doubled over in pain.

"Narcissa!" he called out and was at her side in an instant.

"Lucius," she said, pausing as a wave of pain hit her. Reaching out for him, she whispered, "I'll be all right. You needn't have cut your trip short."

"Nonsense," he growled, kneeling down beside her, taking her hands in his. "You're my heart. When you hurt, I hurt. This is where I belong right now."

"Oh, Lucius!" she murmured, moving one hand up to caress his face, falling in love with him yet again.

"Come on now, love," he coaxed. "You need to go to St Mungo's and get checked out as a precaution."

"I'll be fine," she said doggedly. "All I need is a good night's sleep."

"Do it for me," he insisted gently. "I won't be able to rest until I know that you and our baby are safe."

"All right," she said, giving him a brave smile.

"Are you feeling well enough to go?" he asked. "I could have the healer come here to see you."

"I can make it," she told him. "It will probably do me some good to get out of the house for awhile, anyway."

"Excellent," he beamed. Pointing his wand at her, he turned her nightclothes into a loose fitting day robe. "I believe we'll floo; apparating or portkeying will probably unsettle your stomach."

"All right," she said weakly.

As they headed to the door, Lucius found Andromeda waiting outside in the hall. "Contact Draco and tell him to meet us at St Mungo's right away," he murmured to her. "Hermione should be returning in a few hours. If we're not back by then, tell her where I am."

Andromeda nodded wordlessly, knowing she had to stay behind to watch Teddy.

When the long-married couple arrived at St Mungo's a short time later, Narcissa was immediately rushed into an examining room and Lucius was directed to the waiting room.

Twenty minutes later, Draco, followed by a very pregnant Luna, found Lucius alone in the waiting room, pacing anxiously.

"Father!" the young wizard called out. "We came as quickly as we could. What's wrong with mother? Is the baby all right?"

"The healers think she might be in premature labour," he told them with a look of anguish on his face. "She's having quite a hard time of it."

Putting a gentle hand on her father in law's shoulder, Luna leaned down and murmured, "Don't worry, Father. I know my new sister in law will be just fine. She's just eager to greet the world."

Looking up at his son's quirky wife, Lucius gave her a wan smile and said, "I certainly hope that you're correct."

---  
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Next chapter as yet unnamed.


	94. An Early Arrival

_A/N: Forgive the lateness of posting this chapter and review replies for the last chapter. Some unexpected things have come up this week that prevented me from doing so. Review replies will come later as things settle back down to normal._

-----

Several hours later, Harry Potter left Grimmauld Place to visit with Teddy Lupin. Now that he was divorced and had resigned from the Auror department, he found that he had more time available to devote to his godson. Andromeda had been staying with Narcissa at Malfoy Manor to keep her company since Lucius and Hermione had gone to Massachusetts, so Harry headed there, rather than Andromeda's home.

As a house elf ushered him into the library, he found Andromeda staring pensively out a window, deep in thought.

Realizing that she'd not taken note of his presence, Harry cleared his throat and said, "Andromeda?"

Startled, she turned to Harry and said in an apologetic tone, "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry. I forgot you were visiting today."

"What's wrong?" he asked in concern. "Is Teddy all right?"

"He's perfectly fine," she assured him. "No need to worry about that young man." Frowning, she added, "It's Narcissa. She was having a lot of pain yesterday and did not sleep much last night. It was such that I called Lucius in Massachusetts and he came home to take her to St. Mungo's. I think she might be in premature labour."

Harry didn't quite know what to say. "I'm sorry to hear that," he finally managed. "I hope that she and the baby will be all right."

"I'm sure everything will be fine," she said softly. "I hope."

"Would you like me to stay here with Teddy while you go to St Mungo's to check in on her?" Harry offered impulsively.

"Oh, I couldn't impose on you," she said doubtfully. "Lucius would call me if things were really bad."

"You're not imposing on me at all," Harry insisted. "I can tell you're worried, so you need to go and find out for yourself."

"Are you sure." She really did want to go see Narcissa and hadn't been able to relax since Lucius had taken her to St Mungo's.

"Quite sure," he affirmed. "This will give Teddy and I a good long time to get re-acquainted. I might even call Arabella to bring Samantha over, so that Teddy can have a playmate."

"All right, then, I'll go," she decided. "I'll feel better once I know that Narcissa will be all right." Taking her wand, she transfigured her clothing into a nicer robe. Just before grabbing some floo powder, she turned and said, "Oh, I almost forgot. Hermione should be coming through the floo some time today. Lucius had told her to get some rest before returning home with Lucia."

"I'll be watching for her," he promised. "I'll tell her what's going on."

"Thank you, Harry," the witch said. "I really appreciate it and Narcissa will, too."

"I'm glad to do it," he replied. "Give Narcissa my best wishes."

"I'll do that," Andromeda promised just before disappearing into a cloud of green smoke.

A few moments later, Andromeda, after asking after Narcissa's whereabouts, entered the same private labour room that Hermione had used previously. She found Lucius sitting close to Narcissa, holding her hand while gently murmuring to her.

As she gazed upon Narcissa, the older witch nearly gasped in dismay. The normally impeccably groomed woman was showing clear signs of the severity of her travail, with her usually pristine blond hair in disarray, greasy and lank upon the pillow. The sheets beneath her were tangled and damp with sweat, bearing visual evidence to her difficult labour.

Not wanting to alarm the expectant couple, she schooled her face and put on a brave smile.

Before she could speak, Lucius looked up and said, "Andromeda! Narcissa was just asking about you and I'd told her that you had to stay behind to mind Teddy."

"Harry Potter came by to visit with Teddy and after I told him what was going on, he offered to babysit," she said. Shifting her gaze to Narcissa, she added, "And he sends his regards to you, Narcissa."

"How kind of him," she said weakly, then grimaced as another labour pain overtook her. "I'll have to be sure to thank him when I get home."

At that moment, Calandra Jones bustled into the room. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you both to step out for a few moments while I give Mrs Malfoy an examination to assess her progress."

Kissing his wife's hand before rising to comply with the midwife's request, Lucius murmured, "I'll be back soon, love. I'll just be in the waiting room."

Narcissa gave him a tiny smile and squeezed his hand, before he reluctantly released his grip. "I'll be waiting," she whispered.

Andromeda followed Lucius into the private waiting room where they found Draco rubbing Luna's back.

"Are you feeling better, Luna?" Lucius asked as he seated himself beside the young couple.

"Much better, thank you," she replied, sighing as her husband continued to rub. "It seems the more pregnant I get, the more backaches I have and this is the only thing that helps. Draco has magic hands."

Chuckling knowingly, he told her, "What a coincidence. Narcissa and Hermione have said the very same thing about me!"

"I'm not surprised," Luna said serenely. "Like father, like son."

"How is Mum doing now?" Draco asked nervously. "It doesn't seem as if she should be in this much pain."

"The midwife is examining her again now," the older wizard reported. "It seems likely that your sister will be born prematurely today."

"And pain is natural and to be expected during labour," Andromeda assured her nephew. "Some women have more, some women have less, and sometimes it will differ with the same woman from child to child."

"And your mother had quite a time of it when you were born as I remember," Lucius recalled. "Though not quite so bad as this."

Taking both Draco's and Lucius' hands, Luna told them earnestly, "Narcissa has a strong aura. She will be fine, and so will the baby. There's no need to worry."

Before either man could reply, Calandra Jones stood in the doorway. "Mr Malfoy? I've finished my examination..."

---

Several hours after Lucius had left, Hermione awakened from a fitful slumber. Sitting up and yawning, she did not feel rested, but got out of bed anyway and headed for the shower. She knew she'd not rest well until she returned home and found out how Narcissa was doing.

After spending an extended time in the shower, allowing the hot water to revive her tired body, she returned to the bedroom to dress. Still yawning loudly, she dressed herself magically, not wanting to take the time to dress the muggle way.

Moving to check on Lucia, she found Breezy changing the diaper of the cooing baby.

"Good morning, Breezy" she said, yawning again, as she seated herself in the rocking chair, waiting for the elf to finish so that she could nurse Lucia. "I want to thank you for getting up with Lucia during the night," the young woman said. "I didn't hear her cry out once."

"That is because Miss Lucia slept through the night," Breezy announced proudly. "This is the first time she has done that."

"Really?" Hermione said, smiling about her daughter's first milestone. "How wonderful! I can't wait to tell Lucius." After a pause to take Lucia from the elf, she said. "And that's another thing. I want you to gather Lucia's thing while I'm eating breakfast. We'll be returning home as soon as I'm done. As much as I'd prefer to fly home, we'll be taking the floo."

Breezy looked alarmed, but merely said, "Yes, mistress."

"Lucius has returned home because Narcissa wasn't well," she explained. "I suspect she might be giving birth prematurely." Heaving a loud sigh, she said, "Either way, Lucius won't be coming back, so we might as well all go home. I've finished my first book and have the second outlined, so it's time to return in any instance."

Forty five minutes later, Hermione stepped through the floo at Malfoy Manor with Lucia in her arms. Breezy followed a moment later with their reduced belongings.

They found Harry sitting on the floor of the library entertaining Teddy and Samantha with a toy Quidditch set. They clapped and gurgled with joy as Harry made the toy Quidditch player zip around the room on a tiny broom. Arabella sat contentedly on a nearby chair giving James a bottle.

"Harry!" Hermione called out. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Hermione," he greeted, getting up from the floor. "Andromeda was here minding Teddy, so I offered to watch him while she went to St Mungo's to see Narcissa."

"Is Narcissa all right?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"I don't know," he replied. "I haven't heard any news, good or bad."

"I need to go up there and see what's going on," she said decisively. "Would you mind awfully much minding Lucia as well? Breezy will help you."

"Of course I don't mind," Harry said, reaching out his arms for the littlest Malfoy. "I'll be glad to."

"The more, the merrier," Arabella said, smiling at the other witch.

"I owe you one," she said. "I'll be happy to babysit for James and Samantha some time when you two want to go out."

"That will work," he said, smiling.

"I'll see you later," she said, giving Lucia a kiss on the head. "Breezy has everything that Lucia will need."

"All right, then," Harry said. "Go on, we'll be fine."

A moment later, Hermione stepped through the floo at St Mungo's, then headed directly to the labour and delivery floor. remembering that Lucius had said that Narcissa would be using the same room that she had when Lucia was born.

As she quietly stepped through the door into the private waiting room, she found Andromeda, along with Draco and Luna, seated on the far side of the room. Lucius was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, hello, Hermione," Luna said placidly. "You're just in time. Lucius is in the delivery room with Narcissa now."

"How is she doing?" Hermione asked, directing the question toward Draco.

"She's had a rough go of it, but the midwife is fairly certain that the baby will be fine if they take it now," he said, worried concern evident in his voice. "It should be any time now, as they've been in there quite awhile.

A short time later, everyone looked up expectantly when the door squealed open to admit a beaming Lucius, clad in rumpled hospital scrubs with a hugely satisfied smile on his face.

"You have a new sister, Draco," he told his son proudly. "She's rather small and delicate, but the midwife says she'll be fine." Turning to give Hermione a kiss, he said, "And Lucia has a sister to grow up with."

"I'm so happy for you and Narcissa, love," she murmured. "I hope they'll be close."

"How is Mum," Draco asked.

"She's worn out, as you might expect," he told them. "But she'll be fine as well. She's sleeping now, so we'll leave her to get some rest."

Finally turning to Andromeda, he told her quietly, "Narcissa and I have decided to name her Nymphadora Andromeda."

With tears brimming up in her eyes and her lip trembling in a rare show of emotion at the thought of her lost daughter, Andromeda finally choked out, "Thank you, Lucius. You don't know how much that means to me."

He took her hand and squeezed it in a wordless show of sympathy. "We plan to call her Dori."

Taking Hermione's hand, he said, "Why don't we all go see her in the nursery?"

A short time later, the group stood outside the nursery window admiring the newest member of the Malfoy family.

"Oh, she looks almost exactly like Lucia!" Hermione said. "They could almost be twins!"

"It would seem they both favour the Malfoy side," Andromeda agreed. "Daddy's little girls."

Luna and Draco stood a little bit apart from the others as they admired Dori. "In a month or so, we'll be looking at our own baby through that window," he murmured, kissing his wife's cheek."

"It will be sooner than that," Luna announced confidently. "I'll be a mother before the next full moon."

----  
Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate it.  
Next chapter yet to be named.


	95. The Malfoy Legacy

Lucius returned with Hermione to Malfoy Manor, knowing that Narcissa would be asleep for several hours. He'd not slept since the morning before he and Hermione had gone to the opera in America, and was dead on his feet with exhaustion.

Draco and Luna, similarly, had returned to Hogwarts so that Luna could get some rest and Draco could return to teaching his classes. Lucius promised to keep them updated and they assured him that they'd be back on the weekend to visit again.

As Lucius and Hermione stepped out of the floo, followed by Andromeda, they found Harry and Arabella in the library. Harry was giving Lucia a bottle, with Arabella doing likewise with James. Breezy was watching Teddy and Samantha as they played with toys nearby.

His lips quirked up in a barely perceptible smile as he walked over to take Lucia from Harry. "I see you have things well in order, Mr Potter. It seems as if fatherhood suits you well." Smiling wider, he continued, "And I'm pleased to announce that I now have another daughter. Narcissa gave birth to Nymphadora Andromeda a short time ago."

Taking Lucia from Harry, he took a seat on the couch to finish his daughter's feeding.

"How is Narcissa feeling?" Harry asked. He had to smile at the new baby's name, thinking it a nice way to remember Tonks.

"She's resting comfortably," the older wizard told him. "And Dori is fine, too."

"How much did she weigh?" Arabella asked.

"She was only five pounds," Lucius reported. "But she's in fine health and should gain weight fairly quickly."

"How much did Lucia weigh?" Arabella asked Hermione.

"She weighed nearly nine pounds," Hermione told her. "But she was a full-term baby."

Yawning loudly, Lucius said, "I hope you will all excuse me, but I've not slept in quite some time and I need to get some rest before returning to St Mungo's." Turning to Harry before leaving the room, he said, "I greatly appreciate you volunteering to mind the children."

"I enjoyed it," Harry said sincerely. "It was no problem at all."

"I'll see Harry and Arabella out," Andromeda told Lucius. "And then I think I could use some sleep myself."

"I'll call you soon, Harry," Hermione said with a tired smile as she turned to follow Lucius out of the room.

Knowing that Hermione would be spending the night with him here at Malfoy Manor, Lucius led them to an opulent guest bedroom, rather than to the room he shared with Narcissa.

As the door closed behind them, Hermione suggested, "Why don't we have a nice soak in the hot tub before going to bed? It should help us sleep better."

"I think I could sleep on the floor right now, actually," Lucius told her with a rueful grin. "I am, however, suddenly quite ravenously hungry."

"That can be easily fixed," Hermione said, smiling. "Breezy!"

The elf immediately appeared beside her. "Mistress Hermione called?"

"Would you please have dinner brought to us here," Hermione instructed. "We're too tired to go to the dining room."

"Right away, Mistress!" the elf said eagerly.

After the elf had popped off to do her bidding, Hermione aimed her wand near a window and transfigured a small table and lamp into a larger table and two chairs. No sooner had she done that than another elf appeared with the food, immediately disapparating after delivering a plate of assorted sandwiches.

A short time later, now clean and fed, Lucius and Hermione climbed gratefully into bed. Hermione realized just how tired Lucius was when he simply rolled over and went to sleep without making any sexual advances toward her. Not feeling particularly amorous herself at the moment, she simply snuggled up close to him and was asleep within moments.

Hermione awakened early the next morning to find Lucius getting dressed as he prepared to leave for St Mungo's.

"Mmmm, what time is it?" Hermione mumbled, her eyes bleary with sleep.

"It's early," he murmured. "Go back to sleep."

"I think I will," she yawned. "But I'm going to go back to the penthouse when I get up. I need to get Lucia back on her routine."

"All right, love," he said, bending over to kiss her on the cheek. "I should see you later today, then."

"Give my best wishes to Narcissa and the baby," she said dreamily, still not quite awake. Hermione did not plan to go see the baby this soon, as she wanted to allow the couple their privacy to bond with their long-awaited second child.

--

Narcissa and Dori remained at St Mungo's for several days for observation as a precaution. Lucius spent most of each day there with them, only coming to the penthouse at night to sleep and spend some time with his second family. After Narcissa and the baby had been released, he returned to Malfoy Manor to bond with his new daughter and to make sure that Narcissa didn't do too much while regaining her strength.

Hermione didn't mind; after all, she'd had Lucius to herself for several uninterrupted weeks. Now it was Narcissa's turn, which was only fair. She found that she was enjoying a bit of extended time to herself to do as she pleased, when she pleased, without having to take another person's wishes into account.

Though she naturally missed Lucius, she was of the opinion that a bit of separation would make both their hearts grow fonder, so that when he returned, their relationship would be that much sweeter.

She made quite a bit of progress with writing her second book, as well as reading the galleys for the first, a task made easier without Lucius being underfoot. Harry and Arabella had visited several times, and Hermione discovered that she'd found the type of female friend she'd never really had during her years at Hogwarts.

Two and a half weeks after Dori's birth, Hermione's mum came up for the day to go out to lunch with her and to visit with Lucia.

"You seem a little preoccupied, Hermione," Jane Granger observed, frowning, as the two women sat in an upscale muggle restaurant waiting for their meals. "Is everything all right with Lucius?"

"Everything is fine," Hermione assured her. "In fact, it couldn't be better." Smiling shyly at her mother, she said, "I think I might be pregnant again."

"Are you sure?" her mother asked, leaning forward. "So soon?"

"No, I'm not sure, but my period is three weeks overdue," she said. "But I haven't been sicking up like I did the last time." She didn't mention to her mother that she and Lucius had been going at it like rabbits the entire time they'd been in Massachusetts, so it would hardly be surprising if she was expecting again.

"Are you still breastfeeding Lucia?" the older woman asked.

"Only now and then," she said. "She's been getting the bottle more and more lately."

"Why don't we stop and pick up a pregnancy test, then, before we go back to the penthouse," her mother suggested. "I know you have a pregnancy spell you can perform, but having a regular, old pregnancy test will just confirm the results one way or the other."

"All right," Hermione agreed. "It couldn't hurt."

Forty five minutes later, Hermione took the pregnancy test out of the package, then headed to the bathroom with it, as the older woman waited outside with bated breath.

Hermione emerged from the bathroom a short time later, with the broad smile on her face announcing the results. "I did both the spell and the muggle test," she told her mother breathlessly. "And they both came out positive!"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Jane enthused. "I can't wait to tell your father!"

"And I need to go tell Lucius," Hermione decided.

"Do you want me to stay here and mind Lucia while you go?" the muggle woman asked.

"No, I'll take her with me," she replied. "Go on home and tell Dad about it."

"Let me know what Lucius says," her mother said, as Hermione escorted her to the door. "I'd give anything to see the expression on his face when you tell him."

"I'm sure he'll be quite proud of himself," Hermione said with a indulgent smile.

"No doubt," Jane agreed, chuckling. "We do all the work and they become insufferably proud of themselves."

After her mother had left, Hermione turned to go to the nursery to collect Lucia. Before she could take more than two steps, however, Breezy suddenly appeared at her side.

"Mistress Andromeda is on the library floo," the elf announced. "She said it was most urgent."

Frowning, Hermione hurried toward the library to see what was going on.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm glad I caught you," the older woman's face said, flickering in the flames.

"Is anything wrong?" she asked in concern.

"No, not at all," the other witch assured her. "It's Luna. It seems as if she was right about delivering early, after all. She and Draco just left for St Mungo's."

"I'll be along as soon as I can." she promised. "I need to feed Lucia, but I shouldn't be too long."

"Why don't you bring her here when you're done," the older witch suggested. "There's usually a long wait for first babies to be born and you might be waiting for hours up there."

"Thanks, I will," Hermione said. "I'll see you shortly."

Nearly an hour later, Hermione hurried to the same labour room where she'd visited Narcissa Malfoy little more than a fortnight ago. She smiled to herself as she thought of how busy the Malfoy family had kept this room in the last year -- and would again in a few months time.

When she slipped into the room, she found Xeno Lovegood pacing the floor in agitated concern, as he remembered how long it had taken Luna's mother to deliver her.

Lucius and Narcissa sat complacently in comfortable chairs, watching Xeno's agitation with a bit of amused indulgence.

"I got here as quickly as I could," Hermione said breathlessly as she took a seat on Lucius' other side. "How is Luna doing?"

"She's in the delivery room now, can you believe it?" Narcissa said in awe. "The midwife said that she was 'made to have babies'."

"Draco's in there with her," Lucius murmured. "It shouldn't be too much longer."

No sooner had Lucius said this than the door opened and a sheepishly proud Draco came out. "Scorpius is here," he told the group. "And Luna wants to see everyone. She's already back in her room."

Luna was propped up in bed giving baby Scorpius his first meal as the group filed into her room a few moments later.

"Oh, what a beautiful boy," Narcissa gushed as she came to Luna's bedside to meet her first grandchild. "He looks just like Draco did as a baby." Taking one of the baby's tiny hands in her own, she added, "It's almost hard to believe that I've become a mum again and a grandmum in the just space of two weeks."

"Well, I see some Lovegood in him as well," Xeno remarked, standing on the other side of the bed.

Lucius stood at the foot of the bed, not saying a word, but merely taking in the sight of Draco's first child, his heir.

Luna met his gaze, then said boldly, 'Come on over here, _Grandpa_, and hold your grandson."

"Grandpa," Lucius said in mock indignation, as he carefully took the baby from her arms. "That almost makes me feel old to be called that."

"Nonsense," Hermione said briskly, coming up alongside him, putting a loving hand on his shoulder. "You're not old, especially considering that you're going to become a father yet again in a few months."

Turning to face her, he asked, "You're pregnant?"

"Yes, I just found out a short time ago and was on my way to tell you when Andromeda let me know that Luna was in labour," she confirmed, reaching up to give him a tender kiss.

Looking over at the Malfoy patriarch, surrounded by his women and his son, Luna placidly observed. "If you keep on like you have, you'll soon have more children than the Weasleys!"

Everyone chuckled heartily at this previously absurd notion, which now had a reasonable chance of eventually coming true.

"You are building up quite the legacy, Malfoy," Xeno concurred. "You have much to be proud of.

After allowing Xeno a turn to hold his new grandson, Lucius took a hand from each of his women and said, "Three years ago, if someone told me about my life today, I would have thought that person delusional. I'm a very lucky man."

Hermione basked in the magical glow of the shared happiness in the room, feeling equally lucky as her mate about the unexpected ways things had changed for her since the end of the war. At this moment, she felt especially fortunate to have the life she'd gained since making the choice to become the consort of Lucius Malfoy.

Just the thought of being with Lucius Malfoy and bearing his children would been unthinkable for her before the end of the war, but now she could not imagine life without him and now looked forward to spending the rest of her life by his side.

-----

_All good things must come to an end and so must this story. I hope you've enjoyed this trip with Lucius and Hermione and their friends, family, and adversaries. I'm quite grateful to those who have read and reviewed this story for the nearly year and a half I've been posting it._

_I will be posting an epilogue and perhaps an appendix, which may take a bit longer than my usual posting schedule to get written and posted._

Next chapter: Epilogue


	96. Epilogue: 11 Years Later

_Forgive me for taking so long to get the epilogue posted, but things have been hectic around here in the last two weeks. Plus, I found it a challenge to work in all the information I wanted to cram into it. An appendix should soon follow this chapter, as I've mostly completed that. After taking a bit of a break, I should soon be posting a new story, so keep me on your author alert lists. Once again, I would like to thank my loyal readers and reviewers for supporting this story. I don't think I could have done it without you. Special thanks go to Arsinoe de Blassenville, for her support and encouragement in the nearly two years I've been writing this story.  
Author's Note: For the purposes of this story, the cutoff birthdate that decides which year one will begin Hogwarts is on December 31st.  
_

**EPILOGUE -- 11 Years Later**

"Why do I have to go to London to take the train to Hogwarts when we live right here in Hogsmeade?" Lucia Malfoy asked her father in irritation. "It's simply not logical. Really, it would be much easier to just meet the train when it arrives and go in with the others then."

"Tradition," Lucius replied, his lip quirked up in amused smile. He'd remembered asking his father just before his own first year why they just couldn't take a portkey to the entrance to Hogwarts, as that would save a lot of time and bother. Looking down at his oldest daughter with affection, he added, "It may seem like a waste of time now, but daresay you'll enjoy it."

"There's no need to be nervous, dear," Hermione told her, putting a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "All the other firsties will be a little nervous, too. The train ride will allow you to mix a bit, and to start to get to know one another before you get sorted. Teddy and Samantha will be there to help if you have any questions. Plus you'll have your sister and James with you. You can all share a compartment if that would make you feel more comfortable." After a pause, she added, "You should have it easier than I did, considering that I was muggleborn and knew nothing of the wizarding world, save what I'd read from my new schoolbooks."

"I'm not nervous, Mum," Lucia said, rolling her eyes in indignation. "After all, I'm a Malfoy. Malfoys don't get nervous."

"How could I have forgotten that?" Hermione replied, laughing merrily, exchanging a knowing glance with Lucius.

Over the years, Lucia had grown into a unique blend of her parents' personalities. She had a healthy dose of her father's haughty demeanour combined with her mother's thirst for knowledge and with more than a touch of her know-it-all nature. She was a tall eleven year old with her father's piercing blue eyes and had wavy honey-blond hair.

"The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree, hmm?" Lucius murmured in Hermione's ear.

"That's for certain," she replied, leaning up for a quick kiss.

Ignoring her parents' disgusting display of affection, as she'd grown used to it over the years, Lucia continued, "And, besides, I already know quite a few of the people who will be in my year from primary school. Plus, I've already seen several of the new muggleborns when they were in Hogsmeade attending the orientation classes with their parents."

Looking at her mother sideways, she insisted, "It's not fair. It will be your first year as a Hogwarts professor and they're not making _you_ ride the train!"

"Regardless of the logic of the matter, you still have to do it, so you might as well make the best of it," Hermione said seriously, knowing her daughter was nervous despite her protests to the contrary. "Besides, I have to be there early for a meeting, which I'm sure will be quite boring. I think I'd much rather enjoy a nice, relaxing train ride than do that."

"I suppose you're right," Lucia conceded with a barely audible sigh.

"We need to get moving so that you don't miss the train," Lucius urged them. "We're supposed to meet everyone at ten thirty."

Hermione turned to locate their other two children so they could depart. Athena, who was ten, was sitting on a nearby chair, her nose in a book, as she waited for her family to be ready to leave. Athena was built like her older sister, but her hair was brownish-blond and she shared her mother's brown eyes. She was more introverted than Lucia, but she shared her thirst for knowledge.

Though both sisters loved to learn, their motivations were different. To Lucia, knowledge was power, but for Athena, learning was its own reward. It had been noted several times by those who knew the Malfoys, that Athena had been aptly named.

"Where is Severus?" Hermione asked Athena, looking around for her youngest child.

Looking up from her book, she said in a bored tone, "He's still upstairs in the loo, I'd expect." After a pause, she added, "He was going in there when I came downstairs."

Before Hermione could react, the sound of pounding feet reached them. A moment later, her only son appeared. Named after the late Severus Snape, who had been Lucius' best friend, the eight year old boy was a miniature replica of his father.

"All right, then, let's go," Lucius said briskly. "We're running a bit behind schedule, so let's get to the portkey in the garden."

Moments later, the Malfoy family appeared at a public apparition point on the wizarding side of the train station. As they entered Platform 9 3/4, Hermione took in the bustling scene with a pang of nostalgia, remembering her first time there.

"I can't believe that Lucia is starting Hogwarts already," Hermione murmured to Lucius as the family walked onto the platform. "It seems like only yesterday that I first came here."

"Time flies," Lucius replied. "And the older you get, the faster it goes."

"Isn't that the truth," Hermione agreed, as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss.

"Oh, look!" Severus called out, pointing. "There's Regulus!" Looking up at his father, who gave a nod of approval, Severus ran to greet his half-brother, who would be starting Hogwarts with him in three years.

"Hello, Aunt Narcissa," the young boy said, looking up at his stepmother with genuine fondness. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, not at all," she said with a smile. "Dori couldn't find her new wand, so we were momentarily delayed."

At this moment, Hermione and Lucius reached Narcissa and Andromeda, who were helping Dori and Teddy to organize their things on their trolleys.

"Good morning, darling," Lucius said, leaning down to give Narcissa a kiss. "You're looking wonderful, as usual."

Smiling at his second daughter, he said, "Are you ready to go?"

"I've _been_ ready for two years now, Father," Dori said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You should know that." Dori was a near replica to her half-sister Lucia, except that her blond hair was straight rather than wavy, and she was somewhat slighter in build.

"How _could_ I have forgotten," Lucius said in mock consternation.

"I wonder what's keeping Draco and Luna?" Narcissa wondered. "It's nearly time for them to board."

"You know how Luna is," Hermione said. "I love her dearly, but she does tend to be rather scatterbrained."

As Narcissa nodded knowingly, Luna suddenly appeared, rushing up to the group with Scorpius leading the way. His nine year old sister, Calista, brought up the rear, casually strolling along.

"I see you finally made it," Hermione teased Luna.

"I was working on lesson plans for my six year old class and the time got away from me," Luna explained.

"I remember you'd told me that you and Hannah had switched which age groups you were teaching," Hermione said.

Luna had been teaching at Hogmeade's primary school from the time it had opened a few years ago, along with Hannah Longbottom. The job was perfect for both women, considering that both their husbands were Hogwarts professors.

"Grandfather!" Calista called out to Lucius, reaching up to him for a hug. The young witch, who was Malfoy in appearance, but Lovegood in temperament, adored Lucius and thought he could do no wrong.

After giving his granddaughter a hug, Lucius turned to Luna and said, "I thought Draco was coming with you today."

"He had planned to, but the Headmaster called a last minute meeting for the Heads of House," Luna told him.

"Well, he'll see Scorpius soon enough, as he's likely to be sorted into Slytherin," Lucius conceded, though disappointed that Draco wasn't there to see his firstborn child off to Hogwarts.

Luna wasn't so sure her son would end up in Slytherin, but did not comment, as she and Lucius had had this discussion before.

Noting that students were boarding the train in greater numbers, Lucius said, "I'd say it's about time for all of you to get on board." Taking both his daughters' hands, he walked with them to the train, with Scorpius following closely behind, with the Malfoy women following with the younger children.

As they reached the train, Lucius looked down at his daughters and grandson and said, "I expect all of you to do the Malfoy name proud. I want you to study hard and make the most of the education you're about to receive. I want you to keep me and your mothers regularly updated about how you're getting along in school." After a pause, he added, with an amused smile, "And don't forget to have some fun along the way."

After hugging them each in turn, he stepped aside to watch as they said goodbye to their mothers.

Narcissa kissed Dori on the cheek then said, "I expect regular owls from you, so that I know you're all right. Lucia and Scorpius will see a parent every day, so they won't need to owl home so much, but I won't be able to see you until Christmas. I'll be waiting for your owl tonight."

"Yes, Mum," Dori said dutifully. She was eager to go, but at the same time would miss her parents and Malfoy Manor.

At the same time, Hermione was hugging Lucia. "I know you'll see me again in a few hours at the sorting, but I just wanted to say how proud I am of you. I don't have any doubts that you'll be an excellent student and it doesn't matter at all to me what House you'll be in."

"Even if it's Hufflepuff?" Lucia asked.

"Even if it's Hufflepuff," Hermione said firmly. Privately, she was hoping for Ravenclaw for her, but hadn't told anyone, even Lucius.

"I'll see you soon," Luna told Scorpius, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Luna often visited Draco at Hogwarts during the day, though they now had a home in Hogsmeade they used during the school year, so she'd be able to see her son regularly. "Have fun on the train."

As the three Malfoy firsties boarded the train, Harry and Arabella Potter appeared out of the crowd, with James and his trolley leading the way. The two younger Potter children, Albus Severus and Lily, followed close on their brother's heels. The oldest girl, Samantha, followed at a sedate pace, as she was now a jaded fourth year.

After the family exchanged goodbyes, James and Samantha followed the Malfoy entourage onto the train. James was still a miniature replica of Harry, _sans_ the glasses. Harry, now filled out in the prime of manhood, sported long hair and a moustache.

"Harry, it's so good to see you!" Hermione said after the children had boarded. "We've not seen much of you since you got that position with the Ministry's Child Welfare department."

"And with you starting as the new Muggle Studies professor today, we'll likely see even less of one another," Harry lamented.

"It shouldn't be so bad, considering that I'll not be boarding at the school," Hermione pointed out. "Once we both get settled properly into our jobs, we'll have to have you and Arabella over for dinner one night."

"We'll look forward to that," Harry said. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get to the ministry."

"That's perfectly all right," she said. "I need to get to Hogwarts soon, anyway, as they're having a meeting with all staff."

"See you soon, then," Harry said in parting.

As the train pulled out of the station, Regulus came up to his mother and asked, "Mum, may Severus come home with us and play?"

"I don't see why not," Narcissa said. Turning to Hermione, "If that's all right with you, of course."

"I have no problem with it," Hermione said. "They'll be starting school next week, so I suppose they need to get some playing in while they have the chance. I'll pick him up on my way back home after classes today, as I do want him to read a little bit each night in his course books for the new year."

"Athena is welcome, too, of course," Narcissa added.

"I've just started a new book, so I suppose I'd just rather go home with Father," Athena said, not really relishing spending the day in the company of her noisy younger brothers.

"And I'll be spending most of the day working on my memoir, so it will work well if you take the boys and I take Athena," Lucius told his wife.

After several years of encouragement from both his women and several others, Lucius had finally decided to tell his story about his years as a Death Eater and was currently about halfway through writing the manuscript. It was a story that he felt needed telling, as he believed that those who were ignorant of history were condemned to repeat it. His publisher agreed, knowing that no one could tell the story better than someone who had been in Voldemort's inner circle.

After the train pulled out, Lucius kissed both his women in turn, then left with Athena to the apparition point. Narcissa, Andromeda, and Luna followed shortly thereafter with the rest of the children to do likewise. Hermione was last, apparating directly to Hogwarts' front gates.

---

"Well, where you want to sit?" Lucia asked Dori, Scorpius, and Teddy once they'd boarded the train.

"Let's see if we can find an empty compartment," Scorpius suggested. "We can all sit together."

"You can all sit where you want," Samantha said dismissively. "I'm going to go find my friends and sit with them." Not waiting for a reply, she hurried off.

"How about this compartment?" Teddy suggested. He had no intention of abandoning them to their own devices. "It's empty."

"One is as good as another," Lucia said as she went inside and plopped herself down by the window.

The other kids followed suit and they amused themselves for awhile speculating about their house placements, as they enjoyed the changing scenery rolling forth outside the window.

"Well, let's hear what each of you thinks about which house you'll be sorted into," Teddy began, to get the ball rolling. "I wasn't really all that surprised to be sorted into Hufflepuff last year, as that was my Mum's house."

"Father and Draco expect us all to be Slytherins as you might expect," Lucia told him. "But my Mum told me it didn't matter to her which house I went into as long as I was happy." Chuckling softly, she added, "But she was a Gryffindor, so that's about what I expected her to say." Not wanting to ruffle any feathers, she did not add that she'd be mortified if she was sorted into Hufflepuff, and wasn't really too keen on Gryffindor, either.

"My mother said pretty much the same thing," Dori added. "But I know she must feel the same way Father does."

"I expect I'll be a Gryffindor," James remarked. "Both my parents were, so it won't surprise me if I go there, too."

A short time later, the snack trolley came by and students came out of all the nearby compartments to queue up for their treats. The Malfoy group ended up in the middle of the queue, seeing many familiar faces from their primary school. Several faces, however, were unfamiliar, as a sizable minority of wizarding families still preferred to home school their children for primary education. And some, no doubt, were muggleborns.

"Hi, Trudy," Lucia called out to a large girl with glossy raven hair. "I didn't see you on the platform earlier." Trudy Goyle was the daughter of Millicent Bulstrode and Greg Goyle, whom Lucia saw fairly often as a casual friend.

"We were rather early, because I wanted to get a good compartment," Trudy explained. "I just can't wait to get to Hogwarts!"

"Hey, James, how's it going?" Algernon Longbottom greeted as he joined his friend in the queue. Dark haired with a diffident manner like his father, he'd been James' best friend since early childhood.

"Good to see you, Algie," James said. "I hope we get into the same house."

A short, reserved boy with vaguely Asian features nodded at them all, but otherwise minded his own business. Stanley Scrivenshaft had been home schooled, as his mother, Cho Chang, felt she could better educate him at home, even while working in her consort's shop.

The last girl in the queue, with strawberry blond hair and a lithe build, stood well away from the Malfoys. This was Victoire Weasley, who'd had a rather rocky relationship with both Malfoy sisters since their first day of primary school.

Vicky, as her grandmother Molly called her, could not abide the Malfoy sisters' high-handed ways, always acting as if they were smarter than everybody and always sticking their noses into everything. Her Grandmum had told her that they were "Death Eater trash" and had no business acting so high and mighty. Following Grandmum's advice, she was determined to avoid them whenever possible.

As she stood waiting her turn, she desperately hoped she wouldn't be stuck in the same house with them. Watching her cousin James chatting easily with Lucia and Dori, Vicky couldn't understand how he could stand to be around them.

A nondescript girl with straight, medium brown hair standing just behind the Malfoys looked at the the two girls and Scorpius with frank curiosity. Finally, she couldn't stand it any longer.

"Excuse me," she said to get their attention. "Are the three of you triplets?"

The trio burst out into laughter at this absurd notion.

Turning to face the girl with one raised eyebrow, looking so much like a younger, female version of her father, Lucia said. "And you are...?"

"I'm Jennifer Bentley," the girl said, introducing herself.

"Bentley," Lucia said, frowning at the unfamiliar name. "I've never heard of any wizarding families named Bentley."

"Oh, I'm muggleborn," Jennifer explained cheerfully. "I expect that I'm the founder of the wizarding Bentley family."

"That explains it," Lucia noted, her tone carefully neutral. "To answer your question, he's our nephew and she's my sister." The young witch pointed to Scorpius and Dori in turn. "I'm Lucia Malfoy and they are Scorpius Malfoy and Dori Malfoy."

"So you and Dori are twins, then," Jennifer guessed.

"No, we have different birthdays and different mothers," Lucia explained, somewhat exasperated.

Somewhat shocked at the unorthodox family configuration, Jennifer attempted to school her facial expression. There was so much she had to learn about the wizarding world! She now wished she'd paid better attention in the wizarding orientation classes she took that summer.

"Well, it was very nice to meet all of you and I expect we'll be seeing one another at school," she finally said lamely.

"No doubt," Lucia said dryly, already turning away from the muggleborn girl.

Several hours later, they'd arrived at Hogwarts and were now waiting in the anteroom prior to being sorted. Most of the new firsties were still oohing and aahing about the boat ride and the magnificent night time view of the old castle. They were all eager to be finally sorted and be official Hogwarts students at last.

They didn't have long to wait. Within a few short moments, the big door squealed open to admit a wizened, diminutive wizard."I'm Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster," the little man said. "If you'll all queue up and follow me...."

A moment later, the group walked through a huge, cathedral-like room, which had four long tables all filled with older students. Professor Flitwick stopped at the far end of the room, where a battered hat sat waiting on a table by a plain wooden stool.

Looming in front of the stool on a dais was the staff table, set at a perpendicular angle to the long student tables. Lucia looked up to see her brother and mother smiling down at them, which helped the young witch to feel confidently at ease.

Lucia tuned out when the hat began singing some ridiculous song, spending the time looking around the Great Hall, getting her bearings. She sighed, wishing the hat would shut up already, so they could get on with it.

Finally, Professor Flitwick told them to step forward as their name was called.

"Bentley, Jennifer!"

The muggleborn girl stepped forward hesitantly and giggled as the hat slid down over her eyes.

Within a minute, the hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!"

Several names later, the diminutive professor said, "Goyle, Gertrude!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"_Well, that was a bit of a surprise_," Lucia thought to herself, thinking that she'd have been a Slytherin like both her parents.

"Longbottom, Algernon!" The clumsy young man nearly stumbled as he moved forward to take his turn, accompanied by a bit of snickering from older students.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Soon, they got to the Ms and it was Lucia's turn.

"Malfoy, Lucia!"

Heads turned to see where the firstborn daughter of former Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and his muggleborn consort would end up.

"_Hmm, another Malfoy_," the hat said as soon as it had settled on her head. "_And a halfblood at that. My, how times have changed! You have your father's keen powers of observation on what makes people tick and how to use that knowledge in practical ways to your benefit. But you also have your mother's deep desire for knowledge for its own sake. Where shall I put you? Hmm, it's a tough one. You'd do well in Ravenclaw, but I think it better be..."_

"SLYTHERIN!"

Lucia exchanged happy glances with her mother and brother, then trotted off eagerly to join her new table, as the room clapped for her, unsurprised that a child of Lucius Malfoy would end up there. She looked down at her robe where the Slytherin patch had already appeared and noticed that her plain black and white striped tie had turned green and silver.

"Malfoy, Nymphadora!"

Dori walked up to the stool confidently, taking the hat from the professor. As with her older brother before her, it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" before it had a chance to properly settle on her head.

A bit of laughter followed her as she hurried over to the Slytherin table to join her sister, amid comments about how Malfoys never change.

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

Exchanging a glance with his father before donning the hat, the young wizard sat down expectantly.

"RAVENCLAW!"

This announcement was greeted by stunned silence. A Malfoy who wasn't a Slytherin? Unheard of! But, then again, this was Lucius' grandson, one generation removed from the two girls.

Scorpius wasn't all that surprised, however. After all, he was just as much a Lovegood as he was a Malfoy. He looked up at his father sheepishly as he took his place at the Ravenclaw table, hoping he'd not be too disappointed. He was relieved when Draco smiled at him, giving him a thumbs up in encouragement.

"Potter, James!"

Everyone in the room craned their heads expectantly to see where the firstborn child of the Boy Who Lived would be sorted. The room waited with bated breath as James obligingly allowed Professor Flitwick to place the hat on his head.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The sound of hundreds of jaws dropping in unison greeted the young wizard as he took the hat off and went to join his table. He was happy with his placement, knowing that he could just be himself there, without his father's shadow following him around as it would have in Gryffindor.

Stanley Scrivenshaft ended up as a Ravenclaw like his mother, and Victoire Weasley, unsurprisingly, was placed in Gryffindor, like countless Weasleys before her.

----

Later that evening, Hermione returned to her home in Hogsmeade after a long, productive day, first stopping to pick up Severus from Malfoy Manor. Now that all seven of her Muggle Studies books had been published and adopted, she was looking forward to teaching from them. She hoped she'd be as good of a professor as Minerva McGonagall had been, who had sadly passed away that summer.

She found Lucius and Athena out in the garden with their Afghan hound, Balthazar. Strolling across to them, she kissed them each in turn. "Oh, it's been a wonderful day, but I'm so glad to be home and get off my feet," she said as she seated herself in a lawn chair.

Severus ran forward to join his sister playing with the dog, as their parents sat companionably side by side watching them, holding hands. Though they'd been together for twelve years, their passion for one another had not dimmed. As they watched their two younger children cavort with the dog on the grass, both felt supremely satisfied with the life that had resulted from the bold choices they'd made over a decade before.

"I love you, Lucius," Hermione said, sighing with contentment.

"I love you more," Lucius replied, leaning over to kiss her.

END  
-------

Next: Appendix


	97. Appendix

**Appendix**

I thought I'd include a few odds and ends you might find interestin**g.**

Following below is a list to help you keep Lucius' family straight. He barely missed having as many children as Arthur Weasley. But in true Malfoy fashion, if anyone pointed out that fact to him, he'd tell them haughtily that at least_ he _didn't wear out one woman to get six children.

**Lucius Abraxas Malfoy (June 6, 1954) --- Narcissa Black (March 15, 1955)**

1. Draco Lucius Malfoy -- June 5, 1980

2. Nymphadora Andromeda Malfoy -- November 15, 1999

3. Regulus Arcturus Malfoy -- March 1, 2002

**Lucius Abraxas Malfoy (June 6, 1954) --- Hermione Jane Granger (September 19, 1979)**

1. Lucia Jane Malfoy -- September 2, 1999

2. Athena Narcissa Malfoy -- August 27, 2000

3. Severus Harry Malfoy -- January 14, 2002

**Draco Lucius Malfoy (June 5, 1980) --- Luna Lovegood (April 1, 1981)**

1. Scorpius Lysander Malfoy -- December 1, 1999

2. Calista Calliope Malfoy -- May 22, 2001

And Harry's familiy...

**Harry James Potter (July 31, 1980) -- Ginevra Molly Weasley (August 11, 1981)**

1. James Potter --- September 3, 1999

**Arabella Tavington (December 31, 1975) --- Tiberius Nott (October 21, 1974)**

1. Samantha Nott -- January 8, 1996

**Harry James Potter (July 31, 1980) -- Arabella Tavington (December 31, 1975)**

1. Albus Severus Potter -- May 20, 2001

2. Lily Luna Potter -- January 1, 2003

------------------------

I thought you might be curious to know what House everyone was sorted into. Also included are the sortings of a few of their classmates.

**Class of 2014**

Samantha Nott -- Slytherin

**Class of 2016**

Teddy Lupin -- Hufflepuff

**Class of 2017**

Lucia Malfoy -- Slytherin

Dori Malfoy -- Slytherin

Scorpius Malfoy -- Ravenclaw

James Potter -- Hufflepuff

Trudy Goyle -- Hufflepuff

Algernon Longbottom -- Gryffindor

Stanley Scrivenshaft -- Ravenclaw

Victoire Weasley -- Gryffindor

**Class of 2018**

Athena Malfoy -- Ravenclaw

Calpurnia Longbottom -- Hufflepuff

Bruce Goyle -- Slytherin

Ignatius Weasley (Percy's son) -- Gryffindor

**Class of 2019**

Calista Malfoy -- Slytherin

Albus Potter -- Slytherin

Melisande Scrivenshaft -- Ravenclaw

Frederick Weasley -- Gryffindor

Ernestine Goyle -- Hufflepuff

**Class of 2020**

Severus Malfoy -- Ravenclaw

Regulus Malfoy -- Slytherin

Frank Longbottom -- Hufflepuff

Lucy Weasley -- Gryffindor

**Class of 2021**

Lily Luna Potter -- Ravenclaw

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**Books Written**

**by Hermione Granger-Malfoy**

_7 Book Muggle Studies Textbooks:_

Year One -- Introduction to the Muggle World

Year Two -- Muggle Technology: How Muggles Manage Without Magic

Year Three -- Muggle History

Year Four -- Muggle Culture and Family Life

Year Five -- Muggle Psychology

Year Six -- Muggle Politics

Year Seven -- Muggle/Magical Relations

_____

**By Lucius Malfoy**

Introduction to the Wizarding World for Muggleborns and Their Families

Why We Need Wizarding Primary Schools

Morsmordre: My Life as a Death Eater

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**By Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger-Malfoy**

How to Have a Successful Consort Relationship


End file.
